Google Doodle urges you to wear a face mask to prevent COVID-19 and save lives
The familiar logo's letters don masks and then socially distance.
Google reminds you to put that mask on when you go out.
Many states across the US have mandated that face masks be worn in public or in areas where social distancing isn't possible, to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus , per guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, some people are still opposed to wearing a mask.
Some people believe they don't need to wear a mask if they're not experiencing symptoms, a position contrary to the recommendations of leading health experts, doctors and scientists.
To remind people of the importance of wearing a mask across their face when they're in public, Google launched an animated Doodle for Wednesday that shows each letter in the web giant's traditional logo donning masks before spreading out from each other to demonstrate social distancing.
In the six months since the first recorded death in the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 700,000 people have died from the disease caused by coronavirus, and the World Health Organization warns that the pandemic may get "worse and worse and worse."
Though there's still much about the coronavirus that's unknown, misinformation about face coverings is circulating. CNET Science Editor Jackson Ryan, who holds a Ph.D. in medical clinical sciences, called antivaccine conspiracies "dangerous and ill-informed."
CNET has compiled a list of seven myths about wearing face masks during the pandemic. It draws recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO and other health care institutions. It's intended for informational purposes and isn't medical advice.
For almost as long as Google has been around, it's livened up its barebones search page with artwork that draws attention to notable people, events, holidays and anniversaries. It's also spotlighted current events, and coronavirus has been a frequent topic of its Doodle in recent months.
During the pandemic, Google has dedicated Doodles to the scores of heroes and helpers on the coronavirus front lines, as well as hand-washing pioneering Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis, a German-Hungarian physician and scientist known as the "savior of mothers." It's also offered suggestions on how to stay busy while sheltering in place.
Read more: Where to buy a face mask online now
