Google is providing its US employees with weekly COVID-19 tests for free

90,000 Google employees gained access to free weekly COVID tests. The Wall Street Journal I mentioned the news for the first time Every Google employee in the US (and its affiliates, including YouTube) will be eligible to take a free home test. This differs from other companies, Like amazon, Which only provides tests for employees who still have to work at a physical location, such as a retail location or warehouse.

This seems to be something Google employees are interested in, as the seller’s website crashes after going live. Staff promise that they will receive the test within two to four days of submitting the application, and that they will retrieve the results within two days of the laboratory receiving them.

according to Wall Street Journal In the report, Google pays its partner BioIQ $ 50 per test. That comes to $ 4.5 million a week when you multiply the 90,000 employees.

Of course, the $ 4.5 million figure assumes every employee takes advantage of the offer, although a Google spokesperson said the company recommends it. It’s also a very small cost in relation to Google’s profit margins.

A Google spokesman also said the edge That trainees will be eligible for the program as well, and that it should be expanded to include international staff in 2021. The company hopes that the test will help reduce the number of Asymptomatic Procrastinates If any of its employees are injured.

In the early days of a pandemic, President Trump claimed That Google will create a website and nationwide system for accessing COVID tests. This was not true, Although the alphabet section provided the test briefly in some areas. Google has done other work for the public such as creating a contact tracking system with Apple and improving the information it displays in its search results.

correction: The original version of this story said Google had crashed under load. It was a BioIQ site. We apologize for the errors.