FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 27, 2020
For More Information, Contact: Maria Reppas, Director of Communications, maria.reppas@vdh.virginia.gov
Virginia Department of Health Launches New “COVID-19 & You” Web Page Tool
(RICHMOND, Virginia) – The Virginia Department of Health COVID-19 web page has added a new consumer education and information topics toolbar that offers website visitors a more interactive and personalized experience.
“This COVID-19 & You tool serves to answer questions for the public regarding health concerns and issues by providing interactive experiences,” said Suresh Soundararajan, VDH chief information officer. “The intent is to make the user experience better and more targeted for people looking for information regarding COVID-19.”
The platform uses software from declared data company Jebbit.
Users are able to click through a list of topics and subtopics that are based on information consumers most frequently search for on the VDH COVID-19 website. Links go to pages that have more graphics and photos, shorter blocks of text, and larger text. Some links direct users to other websites, primarily the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. VDH subject matter experts review the information for accuracy and readability.
“Covid-19 & You allows the public an innovative way of accessing information by customizing the experience through channels,” Mr. Soundararajan said. “It addresses frequently asked questions regarding health concerns and issues. It offers an interactive way to disseminate information and create transparency and awareness for the public.”
VDH’s website team began working on the project on April 8.
“We will add additional experiences and edit the current experiences based on the analytics on these pages. Ideally, we could create user experiences for any health information VDH wants our citizens to know about,” Mr. Soundararajan said.
For the latest information on the COVID-19 situation in Virginia, go to the VDH coronavirus webpage at www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/.