Google engineers helping to build self check website for coronavirus: Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump announced on March 13 that Alphabet Inc, with the help of Google engineers, is creating a website where people will be able to check whether they have the symptoms of COVID-19. Google confirmed that Verily Life Sciences, Alphabet Inc.’s research organisation, is developing a tool which will help individuals to test for the novel coronavirus.

Google communications quoted Verily saying it is in the early stages of development and planning to roll out testing in the Bay Area with the hope of expanding more broadly over time. 

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During the press conference on March 13, Trump said that the website will be live very quickly which will be used to determine whether a test is warranted and to facilitate testing at a nearby convenient location. He said that 1,700 engineers are working on the development of the website and that they made “tremendous progress”. 

“Our overriding goal is to stop the spread of the virus and to help all Americans who have been impacted by this,” said the US President.

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National emergency in US

Trump declared a national emergency in the wake of growing cases of coronavirus and said that it was needed to “unleash the full power” of the federal government. He also urged every state to set up emergency operation centres effective immediately. 

“The emergency orders I am issuing today will also confer broad new authority to the Secretary of Health and Human Services,” said Trump.

The US President re-emphasised that his administration’s early and aggressive actions against China will help save countless lives. The United States has reported over 2,300 cases of coronavirus with the death toll rising to 50.

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