WhatsApp has introduced a new sticker pack called Vaccines for All to encourage its users to get COVID-19 vaccine and show their appreciation for healthcare workers around the globe. The new sticker pack has been developed in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO). WhatsApp has also partnered with more than 150 national, state, and local governments, as well as organisations including the WHO and UNICEF to offer authenticated COVID-19 information and resources to its global users. The COVID-19 helplines created on WhatsApp by different bodies also started offering vaccine information and registration.
The Vaccines for All sticker pack on WhatsApp brings 23 distinct stickers that are designed by the WHO. It is available for download on both Android and iOS and is aimed to let people “express the joy, relief, and hope they feel about the possibilities the COVID-19 vaccines offer”. Some of the stickers in the new pack are also meant to allow WhatsApp users to show their appreciation for healthcare workers.
“As COVID-19 vaccines are being rolled out across the world, the new sticker pack aims to encourage vaccine uptake and represents hope,” said Andy Pattison, Team Lead, Digital Channels, WHO, in a prepared statement.
In addition to the new sticker pack, WhatsApp has added COVID-19 helplines from various national, state, and local governments and organisations such as WHO and UNICEF since the start of the pandemic. The instant messaging app claimed that over three billion messages have been sent across through these global helplines in the past year.
WhatsApp also noted that the governments in countries including India, Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia, and South Africa have started using these helplines to connect citizens to accurate COVID-19 vaccine information and registration. In Indonesia, the messaging app said that 500,000 medical workers registered for their vaccine appointments through the helpline service in its first five days.
In India, WhatsApp partnered with MyGov and Reliance-owned AI platform Haptik last year to provide COVID-19 information to Indian citizens through a chatbot called MyGov Corona Helpdesk. The chatbot includes details on COVID-19 vaccines and has surpassed the mark of 30 million users.
WhatsApp has additionally waived off the fees it requires to enable delivery of messages through the WhatsApp Business API to help governments and international organisations connect a large number of people to vaccine information and services.
Does WhatsApp’s new privacy policy spell the end for your privacy? We discussed this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.
