Employing Internet Applications to Curb Covid-19 Outbreak: A case Study of Yemen
, Vol.8
, The special issue (the 29th): Media and the Coronavirus (Covied -19) : Credibility or Crises and Rumors? Part One
PP:14
Authors:
Hatim Ali Hyder Al-salhi-Lecturer ,Public Relations & Advertising Department,College of Mass Communication ,Sana’a University
Abstract:
The study aimed to explore models of societal initiatives that have employed the internet applications to curb the Covid-19 outbreak in Yemen and used the case study methodology by focusing on two cases: the “My Doctor” initiative, and the “I am a doctor I am with you” initiative as two societal initiatives that have contributed to providing remote medical consultations and psychological support services for those infected and suspected of having Covid-19. Data were collected using several tools, including a library survey, a content analysis tool, and interview. The study has reached the following results:
Consultation requests increased in the application of "my doctor" during the period of the virus outbreak, and the Covid-19 Department ranked first among the other medical departments in the application in terms of the number of counseling requests submitted. During the virus recession in July, consultation requests for Covid-19 were also reduced in favor of other departments, such as dermatologists and gynecology.
On the other hand, in the "I am a doctor I am with you" group on Facebook, most of the consulting requests came in the form of texts without attaching pictures; followed by the consultations accompanying pictures of laboratory analysis and chest radiology.
Some consultation requests were also accompanied by pictures of anti-viral strengthening drugs, such as vitamins and antipyretics. The video - as a type of multimedia - achieved a noticeable presence in the group, and most of the videos included live or recorded broadcast by the initiative doctors or hosted by the group officials.
The results revealed that there are differences in requests for preventive and treatment consultations during the three stages of the virus, as the period of the beginning of the virus spread witnessed a great demand for preventive consultations, such as requests for consultations about the type of drugs that strengthen the body immunity against the virus, while the outbreak period and the recession period witnessed a greater demand for treatment consultations. The results also confirmed that there were no differences in the rate of educational publications due to the difference in the stages of the virus spread.
Key Words:
Internet, telemedicine, Covid-19.
Research Language:
Arabic
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