Twitter creates coronavirus ‘handwashing’ emoji you unlock with four hashtags
TWITTER has created a brand new handwashing emoji to help fight germs during the coronavirus pandemic.
The emoji is backed by the World Health Organisation – and shows how social media is becoming a tool to tackle the outbreak.
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Any Twitter user can trigger the emoji by using any one of four hashtags.
They are: #handwashing, #SafeHands, #HandWashChallenge and #WashYourHands.
The #SafeHands campaign is backed by the WHO, which has been working overtime to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebrevesus, the WHO director general, praised the emoji while sharing a video of himself washing his hands.
In a tweet, Dr Tedros wrote: "Thank you Twitter for such a nice addition to our #SafeHands challenge!
"We @WHO love it and hope the challenge will generate videos as creative as the new #HandWashing emoji!"
The emoji has won widespread praise on Twitter.
Humanitarian aid organization UNICEF tweeted "Great! #safehands for a new Twitter Handwashing emoji!"
Some poked fun at the emoji, and its playful design.
Google employee Brett Vergara tweeted: "Is this a #handwashing emoji or a giant playing with clouds...hard to say."
And journalist Mun-Keat Looi joked: "Fast-tracked handwashing emoji is when you know things are serious."
It's a speedy update by Twitter, at least in terms of emoji.
The colourful icons can often take months from conception to arriving on our devices – going through rigorous design checks.
But Twitter has fast-tracked the emoji to help promote handwashing during the coronavirus crisis.
Covid-19 originated in the city of Wuhan, China, in December 2019 and has since travelled rapidly across the globe.
People can spread the virus to each other through close contact or bodily fluids.
An infection causes flu-like symptoms and is thought to kill about two per cent of cases – largely the elderly or people with pre-existing conditions.
The virus has killed more than 6,700 worldwide, according to an estimate from Johns Hopkins University.
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Are you washing your hands regularly? Let us know in the comments!
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