Trump wrongly declares Google co-op on coronavirus site

The POTUS declares the collaboration, but Google confirms it is Verily that is working on the site.
Text: Kim Olsen
Published 2020-03-17

Trump recently told the public that Google is working with the US Government to create a COVID-19 website intended for screening, helping the population of the USA with pre-testing, and information. Apparently 1,700 people should be working on it.

The only problem is, Google isn't. In a statement on Twitter, Google made it clear that it is Verily, a division of Google parent company Alphabet (and a much, much smaller company than Google itself), is the organisation working on the project. And by that we meant that it's in the initial development stage, and far from a fully functioning online website (it is currently unable to work on even a single test location or city).

However, as Verily once was a Google sub-division, Google engineers are volunteering to work on a website that will determine a person's infection status and then direct them to the nearest mobile COVID-19 test site. Where these will be placed is still unknown, but large parking lots seems to be the most reasonable location.

Due to the number of Google employees working with their former sub-division, 1,700 people working on the website may not be false after all, but neither Google nor Verily has been able to confirm the number.

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