It’s a cliche, yes, but it’s timeless because it’s true: Necessity is the mother of invention. I built CoronaHub out of a need I’m seeing in the subreddits, Whatsapp groups, and Slack communities I manage. Nearly every conversation is about the COVID-19 pandemic.
Across the planet, people are quarantined, working remotely, and/or coping with canceled plans and jobs. Based on the online conversations I’ve seen, and the needs that are arising, I thought creating another online community would be a great way for everyone to connect, commiserate and collaborate.
This weekend, I created and launched the CoronaHub Slack group, where medical providers, municipalities, non-profits, healthcare workers, volunteers and the general public can come together. We need to share our resources and unite. I hope Coronahub can pave the way.
CoronaHub Slack Channels
Here’s what you can expect to find on CoronaHub:
Hiring
With unexpected closures, gaps in the supply chain, and an economic downturn, it’s important for people looking for work to get connected to opportunities and openings quickly. Use the Hiring channel to post and search for job openings.
News
News from around the world is changing rapidly. We want CoronaHub to be a resource for people seeking information on the latest news in all countries currently affected by COVID-19. Community members will be encouraged to post fact-based, well-researched news stories in this channel, and it will be closely moderated to filter out any misleading or untrue news stories. It can be hard to sift through all the news on your own. We want this to be a safe and useful resource for all members.
Quarantine Meet
You might be stuck inside on quarantine for several reasons. Whether your work is encouraging that you stay remote for a while, you fear you or someone in your family might be infected, or you’re working to keep yourself safe, it can get pretty boring in quarantine. This channel will be for anyone cooped up. Share ideas about things you’re doing to keep things interesting. Staying social will keep us all from getting cabin fever.
Keeping it Light
With 24-hour news cycles, unending updates via social media, and push notifications from our news sources of choice, the constant barrage of news about COVID-19 can take a toll on our mental health. Even in hard times, it’s important to laugh. The Funnies channel is dedicated to sharing lighthearted memes, funny jokes and stories, and anything else that can serve to distract us and bring us joy in our day.
Support
Whether you’re looking for a place to vent, specific resources in your area, or you have questions about how someone near you is navigating during this pandemic, Support is where you can go to find answers. We all need to lift each other up right now, so community members are encouraged to ask for and give support in this channel, whether intangible or tangible. Every little bit helps.
Keeping Informed
We are designing CoronaHub to be a place where people can get informed and connected during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is no substitute for reputable information from the CDC. Visit their Coronavirus (COVID-19) page for the latest news on cases in the U.S., community resources, information on symptoms, data for healthcare professionals, and more.
We all need to be responsible for how we stay informed and what we share with others. Using well-researched sources like the CDC is another way we can do our part to keep safe and keep the virus from spreading quickly.
