Google has launched a new search portal dedicated to all information related to coronavirus in the United States. Google CEO Sundar Pichai had announced recently that the online search giant would partner with the United States government to develop a website dedicated to COVID-19 resources by March 16. Having launched in the US, Google said the website will be expanded to include other countries in the coming weeks.
According to Google, information on coronavirus constitutes the biggest topical search on the search engine, and the best the company can do is to create a dedicated website that contains all the latest resources and help on the pandemic. The website is optimized for desktop and mobile device use, and it is an improved search experience that will meet the needs of almost everyone as the world continues to grapple with the pandemic.
The new website is www.google.com/covid19
The website contains all the latest information there is to know about COVID-19 and also further resources and links that people can explore for more help. The additional links lead to health authorities such as the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) among others. Search results from the website will automatically be updated with relevant data and visuals as health authorities provide updates about the disease.
“This new format organizes the search results page to help people easily navigate information and resources, and it will also make it possible to add more information over time as it becomes available,” said Emily Moxley, Google’s Product Manager for Search.
The new website resource provides the latest information about COVID-19 – symptoms, transmission, treatment, and prevention tips among others. There is also a Frequently Asked Questions section where users can read up on answers provided by global health agencies and authorities. Apart from the links to official resources, there are also links to fundraising efforts put in place by spirited individuals and organizations to help victims of the disease.
Analysts are quick to point out that there are no links to conversation forums such as Google Hangout and Facebook groups in the portal. This perhaps might be due to the fact that such forums or groups are not well managed and are often a source of misinformation and fake news. But all things being equal, many people would find the website useful since they can always access it for current information and news in a new emerging world where employees everywhere are being asked to work from home or self-isolate in cases of infection.
Source: techcrunch.com