Commonwealth urges use of World Health Organization Whats App service

24 March 2020
News

As the COVID-19 pandemic impacts communities across the Commonwealth, the Commonwealth is urging countries and their citizens to make use of the information and resources provided by the World Health Organization.

As the COVID-19 pandemic impacts communities across the Commonwealth, the Commonwealth is urging countries and their citizens to make use of the information and resources provided by the World Health Organization.

Over the weekend, the World Health Organization launched a new Health Alert messaging service which provides the latest news on the pandemic, including details on symptoms and how to protect yourself. 

Whats App is widely used to communicate across the Commonwealth, particularly in areas where data connectivity is poor, so this is a great way to provide accurate information and to counter the misinformation circulating on social networks.

How to use the service

To access the service send the word "hi" to the following number on WhatsApp: +41 798 931 892.

The Health Alert service is available now in English and will be introduced in other languages next week.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said: “I commend the World Health Organization for the swift creation of this fantastic Whats App service. Getting accurate information into every citizen’s hand across the Commonwealth is one of the single most important activities to save lives.

Visit the WHO Coronavirus pandemic page