The use of the Twitter network in raising awareness of the emerging corona virus (Covid-19) through analyzing the tweets of the UAE Ministry of Health and Community

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the use of the Twitter network in raising awareness of the emerging corona virus (Covid-19) through analyzing the tweets of the UAE Ministry of Health and Community Protection that were published from 7/1/2020 - 31/7/2020, to reveal the communication role of health institutions in raising awareness of the disease. This study is a descriptive study that uses the analytical approach. It relied on the sample survey method using the content analysis tool. The tweet was considered as a unit of analysis using both social responsibility theory and information seeking. The number of tweets reached 513 tweets. The findings have shown that the Ministry of Health and Prevention in the UAE allocated 62% of its tweets in July to raise awareness of the emerging Corona virus and the majority of these tweets were supported by images and info graphics. Additionally, the tweets focused on all segments of the society. The interest of those in charge of the site appeared through answering all inquiries, The study recommends conducting specialized research in the field of communication networks and their role in health awareness.