SHARJAH — The Ministry of Health and Prevention in the United Arab Emirates has launched a national awareness platform, including COVID-19 Information Center, under the theme "Your Health Our Priority". The move comes as part of the precautionary and preventive measures taken by the UAE government to battle the spread of COVID-19 and to strengthen the mechanism for assessing health cases, as well as to curb the spread of myths and misinformation. As a health database, the platform is featuring all the recommendations, precautions, and guidelines of the World Health Organization, WHO, as well as the UAE’s health authorities, to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to limit the spread of unreliable and false information. The "Your Health Our Priority" Platform will also help alleviate the flow of patients with a normal cold or flu symptoms to health facilities in light of the current circumstances. Provided in five languages, the COVID-19 Information Centre is featuring the "Virtual Doctor" service which helps those wishing to assess their health conditions if they suffer from symptoms similar to COVID-19. Divided into six main sections providing scientific and health information, the virtual information center is also an awareness platform featuring the latest information about the virus and ways to prevent it, as well as showing the updated stats on the number of infected cases in the UAE. The COVID-19 Information Centre also provides the "Virtual Doctor" service which aims to assess the health condition of the users through a number of questions about the travel date, contact with others, symptoms, and other questions. Prior to and after diagnosing the case, the virtual conversation will end up directing users to one of the doctors on call who will provide information and tips about how to deal with the case, in accordance with the diagnosis made during the conversation. The service is not concerned with emergency cases, alternatively, users are advised to visit the nearest health clinic to undergo the necessary medical care to call the national ambulance number 998. For those who are wishing to volunteer in support of government efforts in the fight against the spread of COVID-19, they can use the information center to fill out their personal data and choose which sector they wish to volunteer in, whether medical or administrative. Frequently asked questions, FAQs, the feature is also available to answer all inquiries and questions related to the most important preventive measures that must be followed in order to avoid infection with COVID-19. Awad Saghir Al Ketbi, Assistant Undersecretary of the Support Services Sector, said the service comes in response to the government directives for exploiting smart solutions in the ministry’s curative and preventive services to contain the spread of coronavirus. Al Ketbi underlined the ministry’s keenness to provide comprehensive and innovative health services to ensure a rapid response to those suspected of the virus, through the "Virtual Doctor" service which is one of the most important innovative models in preventive health practices, explaining that the service will help assess users remotely and without the need to visit health facilities, something which helps reduce the rate of infection with COVID-19. "The ministry has reviewed and updated infection control policies and health guidelines to assist community members in obtaining reliable and accurate scientific facts. This would help enhance community awareness about the hazards of emerging coronavirus and ways to avoid infection." In conclusion, the ministry’s Assistant Undersecretary emphasized the ministry’s keenness support the preventive measures and precautionary practices adopted by the country to confront the virus, by developing electronic health services and innovating curative and preventive solutions in accordance with the highest global health standards to provide best treatment experience for patients and improve the general health of everyone. — WAM