Only Reliable Sources for COVID-19 Info & Updates
As the threat of Coronavirus spreads across the globe and people from all countries are forced to stay inside talking and sharing different news and reports on the topic is inevitable. All possible media channels, be it social, print, radio or electronic are trying to provide data or news which they deem to be important.
But amidst all this sharing of news and data, we also consume or come across fake information, which might seem convincing, which we often forward to our acquaintances without checking the authenticity of the source. This chain leads to unaccounted events and that’s what is happening during the Coronavirus pandemic era as well. WHO has defined this process of sharing fake information as “infodemic.”
So the big question here is what can we do to avoid or break this chain? Where can we get the correct information? The answer is trusted healthcare professionals, health organizations, government officials and various ministries are trying to furnish correct and timely information. If you are uncertain where to find relevant information start with the following resources
1) WHO – Global COVID-19 Information
For any information regarding the international updates look for resources from WHO ( World Health Organisation). You will find comprehensive facts and figures collective for entire the world and also country wise updates with the latest figures. When the first cases of the disease appeared in China it was first reported to the WHO office in China. The WHO’s COVID-19 information center can be reached here.
The other channels where WHO can be followed for regular updates are
2) Central Government Information Sources
There are many different ways and channels that the central govt. is actively using and updating to report all the necessary information.
mygov website
This website provides all the current facts, figures and latest announcements from the government regarding COVID-19. It is being managed by the central govt. directly to report all information you may wish to cross-check or learn about. You may wish to check your information from social media here before sharing it with your contacts.
Govt. of India recently initiated a twitter account to connect and spread the right information. The account is named #IndiaFightsCorona and uses the handle @CovidnewsbyMIB
Mobile App
Recently the central govt. also launched a smartphone app Aarogya Setu in its efforts to curb the spread of misinformation. The app includes advisories regarding the containment of the coronavirus. You can download it both from the Play Store and Apple’s app store. The app has already crossed 10 million download mark
Ministry Of Health and Family Welfare
MOHFW is a part of the central govt. and is operating a separate website to update and provide all the information you may need in these tough times. The website provides all the latest data as well as guides you with the process if you may wish to make contact with the government. You may also check this website for confirming the authenticity of the information you have no clarity about.
Corona Help Desk
A separate Corona helpdesk to provide legitimate information has been set up. This helpdesk not only answers all the questions you may have but also directs you to the nearest help center. This helpdesk has both WhatsApp and Toll-Free calling facility. The idea was to provide correct and reliable information to all
A similar service for verified information is also available on Telegram, where a dedicated channel is being updated in real-time to keep all of us informed.
3) State Government
Every state has its dedicated website which gets updated continuously with new information and govt. plans and announcements. You may visit the respective website of the state or district you wish to learn about.
4) Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Website
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research, is one of the oldest medical research bodies in the world. Information related to testing, list of labs, Advisory and FAQs related to COVID-19 are available on the ICMR website.
5) Covid19India.org
Covid19India is India’s own crowd-sourced tracker for COVID-19 data. The tracker shows State-wise and district-wise counts of confirmed Coronavirus cases. At the state level, it also shows data for active cases, recovered and deceased.
6) Our World in Data website (University of Oxford).
Our World in Data and the SDG-Tracker are collaborative efforts between researchers at the University of Oxford, who are the scientific editors of the website content; and the non-profit organization Global Change Data Lab. It is a highly reliable source for validating the global impact of COVID-19 and a lot of analysis to provide new insights and break myths/misbeliefs.
7) John Hopkins Corona Virus Resource Center
Johns Hopkins experts are aggregating data from multiple credible sources to track the spread of COVID-19. Map data is updated in near real-time throughout the day. You can track how the novel coronavirus is spreading around the globe with up-to-date visuals. You can also get information on basic FAQs about COVID-19 on the website.
Now that you have the list of these reliable sources, you know where to cross-check any piece of information that you receive via Whatsapp, Facebook or any other source. Stay informed, stay safe and keep others safe too!