Google Rolls Out SOS Alert For All Coronavirus Search Results

Coronavirus and the misinformation about it are spreading at an alarming rate. To help, Google has rolled out an SOS service. Search results for the coronavirus on Google will send users to the curated search results page, including reports and information from the World Health Organization. The results will also include safety tips and news updates.

Google SOS Alert

Google announced the curated search results via its official Twitter handle and also noted that the Google SOS alerts is now live. The company also announced it has received a $250,000 direct grant from Google.org, the philanthropic arm of the company. The fresh funds are directed to the Red Cross in China to help deal with the coronavirus victims and relief efforts.

Google launched the SOS alert feature back in 2017 for extremely critical situations. The feature leads to ads-free search results about that particular topic. The alerts help guide users about public safety and are designed to offer accurate and useful information to the people. The Google SOS alert is generally rolled out in times of public health emergencies.

Today we launched an SOS Alert w/ @WHO, to make resources about #coronavirus easily accessible. When people search for related info on @Google, they’ll find the alert atop results page w/ direct access to safety tips, info, resources & Twitter updates from WHO.

— Google Communications (@Google_Comms) January 30, 2020

Google also notes that the sources for its SOS alerts are directed from government agencies, trusted media outlets, first responders, and NGOs. Google's products like Google News and Google Maps will also aid in gathering reliable information for users.

Coronavirus Affects

WHO has declared that the coronavirus is a global public health emergency. The outbreak began in December and has been over 8,000 confirmed cases and over 170 deaths. The virus is likely to affect work operations, not only in China but in other neighboring countries as well. Many airlines have suspended or canceled flights to China.

Tech giants like Google, Apple, and others have asked employees to avoid traveling to China. Google and Tesla have also closed its offices and operations in China due to the coronavirus outbreak. It's also believed that the virus might affect the production line of Apple's next iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S20 accessories supply chain.