WhatsApp helps you stay connected during the pandemic
With a set of stickers, the company reminds us to wash our hands and keep our distance .
Amid the pandemic, the app has implemented strategies to help people stay connected. / Photo: Pexels – Anton
LatinAmerican Post | Michell Valdez
Listen to this article
Leer en español: WhatsApp te ayuda a estar conectado durante la pandemia
Through their blog, the WhatsApp company showed its enthusiasm to work with the World Health Organization (WHO) by presenting a package of stickers, which it considers to be a "fun, educational and universal tool that overcomes barriers such as language or age, among others. "
The initiative will help people stay connected during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and its options include reminding people to wash their hands, keep their distance, or exercise.
This set of stickers called “Together at home” is now available on WhatsApp and includes some texts translated in nine languages (Arabic, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish).
The blog of the technology company ensures that in some of these drawings you can read phrases like "we will get through this together"; "give me five from afar" "are you okay?"; "you are my hero"; or "at home".
#WhatsApp, que ya estaba colaborando con la #OMS, ha lanzado un nuevo paquete de stickers llamado «Together at Home», para recordar lavarse las manos, el distanciamiento social y homenajear a los héroes anónimos. https://t.co/6uiZQMEj4s
— LeanFactor (@LeanFactorSP) April 28, 2020
The company states through a communication that "millions of stickers are sent every day on WhatsApp, helping people to share their thoughts without having to write a single word."
They assure that since they presented this option more than a year ago, stickers have become one of the forms of communication that has grown the fastest on this platform.
Among their aspirations is "that people use these stickers to maintain contact with their loved ones, especially those who feel isolated, alone and afraid."
Also Read: How to fix the Zoom security flaw
Video call limit increases to eight participants
The possibility of making video calls of up to 8 people on WhatsApp is already a fact. Since last April 28, the latest version of the application can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and on most Android devices with the latest update on Google Play.
But if you still have trouble finding the new version of WhatsApp, you can always download it from its page.
These group video calls with up to eight members seek to keep us connected in this confinement season.
#Internacional | WhatsApp ya permite videollamadas grupales de hasta 8 personas https://t.co/xP6tigji3B Vía @NoticiasGs
— Gustavo Santiago (@NoticiasGs) April 28, 2020
Steps to take
In Android: we must go to the Calls tab and click on the "+" icon in the lower right area, then in "New group call" we select the seven participants and finally click on the call or video call icon.
In iOS: we go to the Calls tab and press the "+" icon in the upper right area and select "New group call". Then we choose the seven contacts and press the call or video call icon,
Other allies
In addition to this initiative, WhatsApp is working directly with NGOs and government institutions, in order to connect people with accurate information. The platform is a believer that now more than ever people need to be able to communicate, so they will continue to work hard to keep WhatsApp working reliably during this unprecedented global crisis.
