At a time when WhatsApp is being flooded with misinformation and fake cure for coronavirus, a group of primary school teachers from Tamil Nadu is using the powerful personal messaging application to create awareness on COVID-19.
Graphic cards with catchy phrases that click instantly with the people on preventing the spread of COVID-19 are being circulated through WhatsApp by the teachers, who say they want to do their bit in spreading awareness rather than falling prey to fake news and misinformation campaign.
It all started when K Thangababu, a government school teacher working in Tiruvarur district in the Cauvery delta region, announced a competition for teachers who come up with catchy two-liners on preventing Coronavirus. He typed out a message asking teachers to come up with creative slogans and announced that some of the best slogans will be awarded at an event.
“I forwarded the messages to various WhatsApp groups that I am part of. Since it is a powerful medium, my message went viral with people in those groups forwarding them to people they know. I have received slogans from more than 100 teachers since March 18,” Thangababu told DH.
If the slogans are catchy, Thangababu gets the two-liners pasted with the name of the creator on a template which he has designed for the purpose and shares it on WhatsApp groups.
“WhatsApp can be used for creating awareness too, not just to spread misinformation. The fact that I have received slogans from across the state shows that the messages have reached several hundred people which is a good thing,” he added.
“Don’t Crowd in Public Places and Invite Coronavirus”, “Let us Avoid Distance and Bid Goodbye to Corona”, “Wash Your Hand Every 30 minutes and chase away the dreaded Corona” and “Forget Shaking Hands and Learn to Wash Hands” are some of the catchy phrases that have been sent as graphic cards via WhatsApp to the general public.
Thangababu said he shares the graphic cards with awareness messages on Coronavirus to at least 25 to 30 WhatsApp groups that he is part of. Meena Ramanathan, a teacher and a poet who came up with six such slogans, told DH that creating awareness through social media is much easier than any other medium.
“WhatsApp is easily accessible to people and it enables instant two-way communication. When you share something on WhatsApp, it multiplies. People share them with their contacts. Sharing a good social awareness message which might help people contain the spread of the virus gives some personal satisfaction to me,” Meena Ramanathan said.
Another teacher, who participated in the competition, said it was heartening to see the medium is being used to create awareness. “Every day we get so many fake forwards through WhatsApp but to see an awareness message on the same platform is a good thing. And that is the reason why I sent my slogan,” he said.