Volunteers counsel frontline virus staff

A total of 300 volunteers are operating a 24-hour hotline to help frontline staff cope with the psychological pressure of battling the novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic.

All licensed counselors, they include people mainly from Wuhan, Beijing, the United States and Canada, offering phone and online services for medical staff and patients.

New technologies are used to access an online remote platform from different regions worldwide, allowing the hotline to operate 24 hours a day. The tools include SharePoint, OneDrive, and Skype for Business, said Microsoft, technology supporter of the platform.

According to experts, when encountering sudden disasters, people unconsciously produce negative emotions of anxiety, fear, and panic. If panic cannot be effectively relieved, it can cause the accumulation and spread of negative emotions and may result in post-traumatic stress disorder.

The number of the hotline is 010-81400101. 

Microsoft has announced a second round of donations of 45.78 million yuan (US$6.5 million) including 4.78 million yuan from its employees and 40 million yuan worth of products and services.

“Microsoft is standing firmly with China in the face of this global challenge,” said Alain Crozier, chairman and CEO of Microsoft China.

To help minimize the impact of the novel coronavirus outbreak on businesses in China, Microsoft is also providing free online services and cloud resources.