<metaproperty="og:description"content="Channels are a tool for broadcasting your public messages to large audiences. They offer a unique opportunity to reach people directly, sending a notification to their phones with each post.">
<imgsrc="/file/464001839/2/vN_1W81wpVw.21666.gif/1999ae5807428659db"class="blog_side_image"title="Who ya gonna call? Coughbusters."/>
</div>
<divclass="blog_wide_image">
<ahref="/file/464001689/3/liHcDgHAJe0.151594/9adb882d85a74bb47e"target="_blank"><imgsrc="/file/464001885/4/L7NIiYhsWv8.56582/1301fc90889c583bf0"srcset="/file/464001689/3/liHcDgHAJe0.151594/9adb882d85a74bb47e, 1200w"title="It's OK. You don't need a mask and gloves to shout into a megaphone. Just remember to sanitize the megaphone when you're done."alt="Verified Channels and Coronavirus Info"/></a>
</div>
<p><ahref="https://telegram.org/tour/channels"><strong>Telegram Channels</strong></a> are a powerful tool for <strong>broadcasting</strong> your messages to <strong>unlimited audiences</strong>. Since <ahref="https://telegram.org/blog/channels"><strong>2015</strong></a>, media organizations and public figures have been using them to reach readers, voters and fans – especially in countries where <strong>freedom of speech</strong> is limited.</p>
<p>Recently, we noticed a new type of channel gaining popularity: those created by <strong>Ministries of Health</strong> from around the world. <ahref="https://t.me/MyGovCoronaNewsdesk">India</a>, <ahref="https://t.me/cprckkm">Malaysia</a>, <ahref="https://t.me/MOHreport">Israel</a> and <ahref="https://t.me/corona/22">many other countries</a> now send news updates, warnings and tips via Telegram.</p>
<divclass="blog_video_player_wrap"style="max-width: 400px; margin: 20px auto 20px;">
<p>To help users distinguish <strong>trustworthy sources</strong> from fake news, we're launching a streamlined <strong>verification</strong> process today.</p>
<p>If you have verified accounts on other social media services, simply contact our new <ahref="https://t.me/verifybot"><strong>@VerifyBot</strong></a> to get a <strong>verification badge</strong> for your <strong>channel</strong>, <strong>group</strong> or <strong>bot</strong>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><ahref="https://telegram.org/verify">More about Telegram Verification Guidelines »</a></p>
</blockquote>
<h3><aclass="anchor"name="notifications-for-users"href="#notifications-for-users"><iclass="anchor-icon"></i></a>Notifications for Users</h3>
<p>Information is the most powerful weapon in the fight for global health – at least until we get a vaccine. To do our part, we've been sending <strong>notifications</strong> to <strong>all users</strong> in countries that have official channels with updates about the virus, offering them to join.</p>
<p>We invite all health officials to <strong>collaborate</strong> on keeping people informed. If you work for your country's <em>Ministry of Health</em> and would like to promote its channel, please verify it first using <ahref="https://t.me/verifybot"><strong>@VerifyBot</strong></a>, then contact us at <em>corona@telegram.org</em>.</p>
<p>To make sure users find accurate and relevant information about the pandemic in their region, we've created a <ahref="https://t.me/corona">special channel</a> which shows up as the <strong>top result</strong> for all <strong>coronavirus-related keywords</strong> in Search. It contains a list of official news sources by country:</p>
<h3><aclass="anchor"name="beyond-channels-groups-and-bots"href="#beyond-channels-groups-and-bots"><iclass="anchor-icon"></i></a>Beyond Channels: Groups and Bots</h3>
<p>Telegram Channels are good for massive one-way broadcasts, but if you're looking for more interactive ways to inform people, try <strong>groups</strong> or <strong>bots</strong>.</p>
<p><strong>Telegram Groups</strong> can have up to <strong>200,000 members</strong> each and offer powerful tools for maintaining order. For example, doctors from the Indian state of Karnataka are using <ahref="https://t.me/karnataka_Covid19">this public group</a> to answer questions from users.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><ahref="https://telegram.org/tour/groups">More about Telegram Groups »</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>Telegram Bots</strong> are third-party apps that you can interact with right from your chat list. You talk to them using buttons – and they reply with messages and media of all kinds. Bots are extremely flexible and can be used for anything from providing information to integrating with other web services.</p>
<p>For example, check out <ahref="https://t.me/quizbot">@QuizBot</a> which can create and run quizzes like <ahref="https://t.me/quizbot?start=GreatMinds">this one</a>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><ahref="https://core.telegram.org/bots">More about Telegram Bots »</a></p>
</blockquote>
<h3><aclass="anchor"name="and-one-more-thing"href="#and-one-more-thing"><iclass="anchor-icon"></i></a>And One More Thing</h3>
<p>We couldn't do anything about the shortage of masks in the real world, but our artists found a way to squeeze an inexhaustible supply into your app.</p>
<p>You can apply <ahref="https://t.me/addstickers/Coronamask">masks from this set</a> to any pictures you send using Telegram's <ahref="https://telegram.org/blog/masks">Photo Editor</a>. Whether to raise awareness, maintain digital hygiene, or simply to hide your nose is up to you.</p>
<divclass="blog_video_player_wrap"style="max-width: 400px; margin: 20px auto 20px;">
<videoclass="blog_video_player tl_blog_vid_autoplay"onclick="videoTogglePlay(this)"autoplayloopcontrolsmutedposter="/file/464001224/2/PJNtBQgSioA.30199/b87a1de91ce3a040de"style="max-width: 400px;"title="Sunglasses optional, but fashionable."alt="A new set of masks">
<ahref="https://t.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftelegram.org%2Fblog%2Fcoronavirus&text=Helping%20health%20authorities%20spread%20accurate%20information%20about%20the%20pandemic%20through%20verified%20channels."class="tl_telegram_share_btn"id="tl_telegram_share_btn"data-text="Helping health authorities spread accurate information about the pandemic through verified channels."data-url="https://telegram.org/blog/coronavirus"><iclass="tl_telegram_share_icon"></i><spanclass="tl_telegram_share_label"target="_blank">Forward</span></a>
<ahref="https://twitter.com/share"class="tl_twitter_share_btn"id="tl_twitter_share_btn"data-text="Helping health authorities spread accurate information about the pandemic through verified channels."data-url="https://telegram.org/blog/coronavirus"data-via="Telegram">Tweet <spanclass="tl_twitter_share_cnt"></span></a>
<h4class="dev_blog_card_title">Stories and 10 Years of Telegram</h4>
<divclass="dev_blog_card_lead">In this update, we launch Stories – with a unique dual camera mode, granular privacy settings, flexible duration options and much more.</div>
<h4class="dev_blog_card_title">Shareable Chat Folders, Custom Wallpapers and More</h4>
<divclass="dev_blog_card_lead">This update lets users share entire chat folders with one link, create custom wallpapers for individual chats, use web apps in any chat…</div>
<h4class="dev_blog_card_title">Power Saving Mode and More</h4>
<divclass="dev_blog_card_lead">This update brings a new power saving mode, optimizes Telegram for lower-end Android devices, adds even more playback speed options, and much more.</div>
