After sustaining 21 days of quarantine, 14th April was a hope that the lockdown would be lifted. But after the PM’s address to the nation on that very day, the people seemed to have mixed feelings regarding the extension of the lockdown till 3rd May. India might have fewer COVID-19 infected and death tolls comparatively but this makes the situation no better.
The issue has only worsened every day. Hence, noting the seriousness of the circumstance, every capable hand has come forward to contribute any possible help. Meanwhile, Google too has taken a major step towards the issue.
Google’s Indian website
Google has especially launched an Indian website covering all the news related to COVID-19. It is now displaying all the robust information and locally applicable guidelines about the pandemic as directed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare of the country.
Google Maps’ additional features
Google has added new features to its maps. People can now easily locate nearby grocery stores that are open to providing essential items.
We are well aware of the unfortunate scene which the nation had encountered a few days back in which millions of daily wage workers or referred to as migrants in big cities, had violated the lockdown and came down on streets of Delhi, starving of food, demanding to go home in the absence of any medium to earn their livelihood. Google has specially launched the feature in their favor in which more than 1500 food and night shelters can be tracked down in almost 35 cities. The search has been made easier as people can promptly ask google assistant in both Hindi and English language to show these locations around them. More languages are being talked upon to add soon to the assistant.
One of the corporate headquarters complexes of Google is also publishing the reports on COVID-19 community mobility in which the traffic and movement across the public places are tracked down. It can help health officials to take decisions accordingly.
Many payment applications such as Google pay, Paytm, PhonePe, etc have made a separate and easy link to donate to PM’s relief fund to withstand the coronavirus outburst.
YouTube introduces new features
YouTube, too, has come up in support to combat COVID-19. It is continuously showing top stories on COVID-19 updates on the top of its homepage. Also, links to MoHFW resources and other informative websites displaying symptoms, prevention, and guidelines related to this pandemic, are visible.
Fear-mongering messages on social media
Also, Google is making efforts to reduce the panic among people which is prominently being caused by false forwarded messages by some rogue elements on social media.
As the responsible citizens of the country, it is our duty as well to verify every message we receive on such a critical issue before forwarding. We must try to make peace among ourselves in this situation of urgency.
