JEDDAH — A group of young volunteers said they hope to beat the coronavirus which is spreading panic among people by raising awareness about preventive measures. A campaign kicked off in Jeddah on Thursday to raise awareness about the spread of the deadly virus responsible for the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) that killed at least 121 people in the Kingdom since 2012. Over 50 volunteers, all of them medical students, are devoting their time and efforts to achieve the goals of the campaign. As part of the campaign, experts in contagious diseases will hold a number of seminars in general hospitals in different regions. Each week, 10 courses will be offered to people in different layers of society. The campaign will also target schools, shopping districts and major commercial centers and malls. The volunteers will also make use of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter to spread the message on a daily basis. Alia Banaja, the founder of the campaign, they took the initiative as part of their social responsibility. He said rumors and false information being circulated in media outlets about the disease is the main cause of panic among people.
