JMIR Publications is delighted to announce a collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) in publishing a theme issue entitled “Chatbots and COVID-19“.

The Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) (IF 5.43) is issuing a Call for Papers for a special theme issue to examine the use of chatbots during the pandemic.

JMIR and the WHO welcome submissions related to the development, use, and impact of chatbots during the pandemic and into the future.

For this theme issue, the article processing fee (APF) is discounted by 20%.

Submissions due: 30 April 2022

Initial decisions: 30 June 2022

Publication begins: 30 November 2022

The “Chatbots and COVID-19” theme issue will showcase research papers based on the WHO’s work with chatbots.  This theme issue springs from the WHO’s experience in building and utilizing chatbots to share information and advice during the COVID-19 pandemic. The WHO’s webinar series invited governments, NGOs, academia, and the private sector to come together to discuss and share lessons learned during the pandemic.

The guest editors for this theme issue are:

•             Andy Pattison, Team Lead Digital Channels at the WHO in Geneva.

•             Gini Arnold, Head of the Ambassador Team in the Department of Social Determinants at the WHO Headquarters in Geneva.

•             Robert Marten, Scientist at the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research at the WHO in Geneva.

•             Hebe Gouda, Epidemiologist and Project Officer with the WHO Tobacco Free Initiative in Geneva.

•             Tina Purnat, Team Lead for Infodemic Management at the Unit for High Impact Events Preparedness, Department of Global Infectious Hazard Preparedness at the WHO.