Your Guide to Reliable Sources for Covid-19 Information

This week, we want to take a step back from poker and address the global health crisis that’s so profoundly impacting our lives. We’re not going to beat around the bush and spend any time introducing the novel coronavirus. Instead, let’s jump in and talk about where to find reliable information about Covid-19.

The UN issued guidance on the threat of Covid-19 disinformation, writing that “from selling fake coronavirus cures online to a cyberattack on hospitals’ critical information systems, criminals are exploiting the Covid-19 crisis.” Between private actors looking to profit off the chaos to state-sponsored Russian disinformation and Chinese disinformation campaigns, we need to be careful to get information from reliable, credible sources.

Don’t trust everything that you see on your Facebook or Twitter feeds. Instead, check multiple reliable sources to make sure you’re getting up-to-date information about the virus’s status, the globalized effort to fight back, and what you can do to keep you and your family safe.

Credible Sources

One of the best places to obtain current info is the World Health Organization (WHO) Covid-19 situation reports. They post briefings on a daily basis that covers highlights, provides numbers of cases and deaths by country, and details their responses and recommendations for the public. It’s also worth checking out their frequently asked questions and their page on protective measures.

For the latest updates in the United States, look to the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Their Cases in the US report gives in-depth information about the disease’s spread throughout the country, and residents can click on their state in a map to get more information about their local situation. For more general information, take a look at their situation summary.

Another excellent source for statistics is this interactive map from John's Hopkins University (JHU). Choose between a cumulative confirmed cases and active cases setting to see a visualization of the data by geographic region. This site has been one of the most reliable sources of information since the beginning of the outbreak.

The most relevant information for daily use is generally a local source. For UK residents, the National Health Service (NHS) has a coronavirus information page that is a great option. Australians have the Australian Government Department of Health's page, while the Canadian government has a similar page for the Canadian situation.

Stay Home!!!

For the safety of yourself, your family, and your community, it’s incredibly important that everyone stays home right now except for occasional trips to essential businesses. This disease is serious, and there are millions of healthcare workers who are putting their lives in danger to care for those who need it most. The least we can do is lessen their burden by slowing the spread of this infectious disease.

Your local casino is closed, and your home games are canceled, but that doesn’t mean we have to stop playing poker. Now is a better time than ever to play online poker games with your friends.

Stay connected and keep your game sharp. That’s why the best way to pass the time at home is Pokerrrr 2!