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Google to turn company spaces into vaccination centres: Sundar Pichai

WION Web Team
San Francisco, United StatesUpdated: Jan 25, 2021, 09:04 PM IST
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Sundar Pichai Photograph:(Reuters)

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The tech giant's chief executive Sundar Pichai announced on Monday that the company will be converting its facilities to vaccination centres

Google has offered its facilities as coronavirus vaccination sites to help in the mass inoculation drive taking place in the United States.

The tech giant's chief executive Sundar Pichai announced on Monday that the company will be converting its facilities as a part of the $150 million initiative being run to educate people about the effects of the vaccine, and rid away the rumours around it.

"To help with vaccination efforts, starting in the United States, we'll make select Google facilities — such as buildings, parking lots and open spaces — available as needed," Pichai said.

"These sites will be open to anyone eligible for the vaccine based on state and local guidelines," he added.

His team will be working along with public health authorities and provider One Medical to pan out the plan of converting the facilities into vaccination centres.

As of now, the areas which will have these vaccination sites will be in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area as well as in the northwest state of Washington and New York City, with plans to expand.

"Searches for 'vaccines near me" have increased 5x since the beginning of the year and we want to make sure we''re providing timely and locally relevant answers," said Pichai.

Google will also use $100 million funding for advertising grants for the US Centres for Disease Foundation, WHO and various nonprofits and health agencies. The company also plans to use funds to provide assistance to underserved centres and facilities that are helpng people during these tough times.