Coronavirus Helpline: Here’s how to get in touch with government’s WhatsApp helpline desk

To enrich citizens with information on Coronavirus and to raise its awareness in the society so as to prevent the virus from further damaging health and economy in the country, the GoI has launched a new WhatsApp helpline. The WhatsApp number for this helpline is 9013151515. All details regarding this new helpline are available on the site mygov.in. The site also warns citizens by asking them to prepare themselves against the Covid-19 pandemic and not panic in these testing times.

Here’s how to use this WhatsApp helpline :

• First, save the helpline number to your contacts.
• Send a ‘Hi’ to the helpline number.
• The helpline desk will respond immediately with an emergency helpline number and an email to be in touch in case of any emergency.
• The first message will be instantly followed by a menu comprising of different questions in the form of options in alphabetical order.
• Send any of the alphabet assigned with the question you want to ask.
• If you want to understand the full mechanism of Coronavirus spread and infection, ask all questions, one by one by sending alphabets in your response.

As per the ICMR reports, the number of cases in the country has so far crossed 200. The death toll in the country has increased to 4. In the meanwhile, the PM is cautioning people to be determined and to practice self-restraint in leaving the premises of one’s home. He urged citizens to impose Janata Curfew on themselves and to start the practice of mass isolation.

As protective measures against the virus, the central government and state governments together have taken bold measures to ban mass gatherings, events, places that cause crowd accumulation, thus prevent community transmission of the disease. Various state governments have also ordered the closure of schools, colleges and other organizations or institutions that will involve people of a sizeable volume.