WHO appeals to play online games and stay home amidst coronavirus pandemic

The World Health Organization (WHO) is these days working hard towards sending guidelines towards the containment of the coronavirus which has spread across the globe. Apart from sending guidelines to the contain the virus, the WHO has now joined hands with representatives from the gaming sector and is launching the #PlayApartTogether campaign. The fresh campaign by the organization will encourage people to p[ractice social distancing and will also send hygiene recommendations that will stop the spread of coronavirus. In short it is encouraging people to remain at home and play games.

The good news is that so far a number of representatives from the game studios from across the globe have joined the campaign. Bobby Kotick, the CEO of Activision Blizzard has opined that it has never been more important for people to stay indoors and the new campaign will help them to stay connected to one another while playing games. Kotick added that the online games is just the right platform as it brings together people for entertainment, joy and meaning.

Nicolo Laurent, the CEO of Riot Games has encouraged people to stay inside and remain sociable while actually being distant and playing together online. Laurent appealed to remain physically apart and take ample steps like hand hygiene to cut the risk of coronavirus. The CEO also said that playing games is now more important and has a good cause behind it. Billions of users across the globe can join the campaign, play games and contribute towards the safety of other people.

While others find the move by WHO ironic as it is promoting gaming as a pastime. WHO is also one of the organizations which has preached gaming disorder as a mental health issue in the past. Despite the circumstances, there are people in this world who play video games to a level that puts a negative impact on their mental health. But still there is lack of research in to the gaming disorder to consider it as a mental health.

Photo Credits:  Android PIT