WhatsApp’s latest stickers promote social distancing amid coronavirus pandemic

Ben Schoon | Apr 21 2020 - 8:59 am PT

As the coronavirus pandemic sweeps the globe, getting messages about social distancing, good hygiene, and other preventative measures is absolutely crucial. Now, WhatsApp is giving its billions of users access to a new sticker pack that promotes social distancing and staying home during the coronavirus outbreak.

WhatsApp’s “together at home” sticker pack helps to communicate in a fun way the need to stay at home and socially distance from other people during the coronavirus outbreak. The stickers were designed in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and are available in 10 different languages (via Engadget).

The stickers, seen below, include popular phrases such as “we’ll do this together” but also include some encouraging messages such as asking someone if they’re OK, saying someone is “my hero,” and celebrating medical workers too. There’s a sticker about washing hands, doing a group video call, and a few relating to working from home.

During the outbreak, though, WhatsApp has been both a force for good and for bad. The service was used fairly widely in spreading misinformation about the virus outbreak. In the time since, WhatsApp has put limits on how forwarding can be used and implemented other measures to prevent the spread of misinformation. The service is also preparing to expand group calling to keep users connected.