The UK Government has launched a GOV.UK Coronavirus Information service on WhatsApp.

The new free to use service aims to provide official, trustworthy and timely information and advice about coronavirus (COVID-19), and will further reduce the burden on NHS services.

This will help combat the spread of coronavirus misinformation in the UK, as well as helping ensure people stay home, protect the NHS and save lives.

The GOV.UK Coronavirus Information Service is an automated ‘chatbot’ service which will allow the British public to get answers to the most common questions about coronavirus direct from government.

The service will provide information on topics such as coronavirus prevention and symptoms, the latest number of cases in the UK, advice on staying at home, travel advice and myth busting.

The service will also allow the government to send messages to all opted-in users if required.

To use the free GOV.UK Coronavirus Information Service on WhatsApp, simply add 07860 064422 in your phone contacts and then message the word ‘hi’ in a WhatsApp message to get started.

A set of menu options is then presented which the user can choose from and then be sent relevant guidance from GOV.UK pages as well as links to GOV.UK for further information.

Commenting, Ben Bradley, Mansfield MP, said: “I’m delighted that the Government has introduced a Coronavirus Information service, which is so easy to use on WhatsApp.

It’s really important that we find innovative ways of ensuring our constituents have all of the information they need, whilst also reducing the workload for NHS services and local authorities. I know that this will be a welcome introduction to my constituents in Mansfield and Warsop, and I hope that it helps to answer their questions and concerns.”