Corona Assisted: A Website with a Mission - Press Release issued by Lahore University of Management Sciences.

Lahore -- June 19, 2020 (PPI-OT)

Following is the text of press release issued by Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)

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Misinformation about COVID-19 has been spreading over social media from the time it started. As part of LUMS corporate social responsibility, Dr. Suleman Shahid, Assistant Professor of Computer Science, School of Science and Engineering, LUMS, and Director, LUMS Learning Institute has developed a comprehensive website called Corona assisted. The site is the brainchild of Dr. Shahid, who identified the need of having one-stop visually appealing, easily understandable portal where all the information could be packed and conveyed to those who were being misguided.

Put together by his team at the Computer Human Interaction and Social Experience Lab at LUMS, the website is a much-needed platform that provides information about the virus. Users can easily switch the language of the site between Urdu and English."COVID-19 is still not being considered a pandemic and taken seriously in Pakistan. Thus we are trying to reach a broader audience with both languages. In Urdu, we are particularly focusing on shareable information nuggets on general myths and FAQs. Almost all myths are backed up by references and videos," explains Dr. Shahid.

The website is a great resource that showcases educational material about the current pandemic including, the basics of the virus, protective measures, searchable hospitals in the region with the kind of facility they provide, and myth busters to spread awareness about the ongoing myths on WhatsApp and how scientifically wrong they are. Additionally, FAQs about the virus in Pakistan and educational resources like...