coronavirus

As the world grapples with the Covid-19 menace, people have been scouring the net like never before for the latest developments on this front. In fact, demand for news perhaps has never been this high given the unprecedented times that we are in the midst of; perhaps more so as we are forced to remain bound indoors. Unfortunately, mischief-makers continue with their follies and have been found to circulate fake news, either just for fun or as a deliberate attempt to disrupt peace and create chaos. It is imperative that we foil their attempts and stick to only genuine sources of news. However, it might at times be quite tricky to separate the fake from the fact and staying calm during corona. However, fret not as what we have here are five apps that you can rely on. You will have the most updated information at your disposal that are factually correct and reliable. Aarogya Setu: You know it is real when it is backed by none other than the Government of India. The app will provide you with information such as symptoms to be wary of, the risk that the virus poses, ways to prevent it etc. You will have info on health services available in your area. It will also let you know if you have been exposed to Covid-19, something that will help you opt for remedial measure well in time. United Nations News Reader: If you are looking for the latest news on Covid-19 from the world over, the United Nations News Reader is the app to go for. Within the app, navigate to the Coronavirus Global Health Emergency section, and you will have all the latest news and reports on the pandemic as it continues to wreak havoc on a global scale. InShorts: True to its nomenclature, the app will provide you with sort of a gist of the latest news and developments for the day. The news items have been pulled from reputed news sites as well as social media outlets. You can then pursue the story that is of interest to you by clicking on the link provided that will take you to the parent site from where the news has been sourced from, thereby ensuring full transparency. What is best is that the app has a special Rumours vs Fake section that takes up viral social media stuff and find out if it indeed is genuine or bluff. The app has a special section dedicated to news on Coronavirus with sub-section such as Myth busters, Precautionary measures, Government announcements, Infographs and so on. It offers a digital mag as well - #InsightsbyInshorts, besides a counter card to keep track of the live status of the outbreak. Public App: The Public is a location based video sharing social networking app that can be a boon when social distancing has become more of a survival tactics than anything else. Being location based, you will get to know all that is happening in your locality in real time. You can also record and share videos as well. You will also get to know about the essential services such as pharmacy stores, hospitals, grocery stores available in your area, till when they operate and such. You will get updates on the quarantine facilities as well available in your area. The app is currently available in five Indian languages - Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Tamil and Telugu. Word Health Organisation: Last but not the least, the World Health Organisation is the world body dealing with the global crisis and is hence to be relied upon for the most updated news. They are in the process of developing an App dedicated to Coronavirus as well. Till that happens, you can add them on WhatsApp using the no. +41 79 893 18 92. Send them an introductory Hello message, and you will start receiving authentic and latest news related to the pandemic.

Five apps that will serve you reliable and real-time news on the Covid-19 pandemic