I wish there was other news to report on, but it really is few and far between.

You may recall that President Donald Trump was rather quick out the gates with his declaration that Google would be building a website for the coronavirus that would direct people to testing sites.

When I say quick out the gates, I mean completely incorrect, because that was not on the cards.

Still, in the wake of the announcement, the company set to work, and https://www.google.com/covid19/ is now up and running.

Some detail via The Verge:

Google’s post announcing the site says that you will be able to find “state-based information, safety and prevention tips, search trends related to COVID-19, and further resources for individuals, educators and businesses.” Google emphasizes that it’s pulling information from “authoritative” sources like the WHO and the CDC…

The website has videos in ASL, a global map showing confirmed cases by country, and plenty of information about Google’s other relief efforts — plus some feel-good YouTube videos…

It differs quite extensively from Trump’s claims, which he will no doubt blame Google for.

A look at the front page:

And an example of the videos you will find:

Wise words.

Google does intend to keep working on the site, and expanding the information and services it offers, but it’s an uphill battle.

…lots of big tech companies are making efforts to provide coronavirus-related support, but none of them are able to solve some of the biggest problems in the pandemic: access to testing and the impending crisis in our healthcare infrastructure.

At some point in the future, Google may actually provide a questionnaire and information about local drive-thru testing locations. But a spokesperson says that the company won’t do so until there’s authoritative and trustworthy information on those sites. That could be a long time coming, unfortunately.

That information about drive-thru testing locations relates to the US, to be clear.

Arm yourself with all the verified and trustworthy knowledge you can, and encourage people you know you to do the same. A lockdown may possibly be coming to our shores soon, so it pays to be prepared.

To finish, here are some handy numbers:

[source:verge]