A search engine that returns information about COVID-19 in Alabama has been added to the state’s coronavirus information hub, according to a release from Governor Kay Ivey’s office on Thursday morning.
The function can be accessed at covid19.alabama.gov, where citizens can also find information on every aspect of Alabama’s efforts to respond to the ongoing pandemic.
“My priority as governor is making sure every Alabamian has the most accurate, up-to-date information about COVID-19, so we can keep our families safe,” Ivey said in a statement accompanying the announcement.
The state partnered with the technology company Yext to build the search engine.
The engine is designed to answer full questions entered into the search bar, as opposed to the keyword method used by traditional search engines like Google.
For instance, a member of the public could type “view cases by county” and the search engine would directly return a list of cases in each county.
State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris praised the company, saying, “I want to express my gratitude to Yext for donating services and support for the covid19.alabama.gov information hub. This further enables the Alabama Department of Public Health and the state of Alabama to provide our residents with vital resources to health information during this COVID-19 pandemic.”
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95.
Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to have Alabama’s leading headlines delivered to your inbox.