The World Health Organization is using TikTok to dispel coronavirus rumors
The World Health Organization (WHO) joined TikTok on Friday in an effort to fight misinformation about the new coronavirus, called COVID-19.
"There are several measures you can adopt to protect yourself and others from getting the new coronavirus," Benedetta Allegranzi, technical lead of infection prevention and control said in WHO's first video.
She then explained precautions like frequent hand washing, coughing and sneezing into your elbow or a tissue, and avoiding close contact with anyone who has a fever and cough.
Coronavirus symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties, the WHO says. So far, it's responsible for 2,933 deaths worldwide. Health officials confirmed the first death from coronavirus in the United States on Saturday. The patient was in their 50s and "medically high risk," President Trump said in a press conference.
As The Verge reports, coronavirus misinformation thrives on TikTok, where memes about the virus abound. Users have pretended to be infected, and harmful stereotypes about people of Asian descent are on the rise.
Joining TikTok is part of a global effort from WHO, the Centers for Disease Control, and other health organizations to inform the public about the coronavirus through social media outreach. On Instagram, WHO has been posting informational graphics and videos about ways to prevent and limit the spread of the virus.
To avoid contracting the coronavirus, follow the same steps you'd follow for flu season: Avoid touching your face, cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, and wash your hands with soap and water.
