By Jel Santos A 24/7 hotline dedicated to people with concerns about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was created by the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) to serve the public during these trying times. Data showed that PRC COVID-19 hotline 1158 has attended 128 calls since its inception last week. PRC said most of the queries were about COVID-19 symptoms and when to seek treatment or hospitalization. The humanitarian organization said only trained volunteers are handling calls giving information aligned with the messages of the Department of Health and the World Health Organization. A volunteer doctor, according to PRC, is always on standby and prepared to provide medical advice to callers. As the organization recognizes the toll on mental health brought by the threat COVID-19, PRC said the hotline addresses this through the help of a volunteer social worker who is ready to attend to callers needing psychosocial support. Moreover, it said tracing and restoring family links associated with the COVID-19 pandemic is also part of the hotline’s services. “In these challenging times, we need to calm the people. We need to attend to their physical, emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual needs. The Philippine Red Cross is here to listen and together we can beat COVID-19,” Richard Gordon, PRC chairman, said in a statement The COVID-19 hotline 1158 is also PRC’s way to dispel misinformation, rumors, and myths about the disease as well as alleviate fears. More important, it provides a filter to help decongest hospitals because people can call the hotline first to seek for medical advice if hospital admission is necessary. To support frontliners battling COVID-19, PRC said well-meaning people can wire their financial assistance to the following accounts: