Google Doodle. Courtesy Google
Google Doodle. Courtesy Google
Google Doodle. Courtesy Google
Google Doodle. Courtesy Google

Google Doodle says 'thank you' to scientists and researchers working to fight the coronavirus


Farah Andrews
  • English
  • Arabic

As the world continues to be affected by the spread of Covid-19, Google is using a new doodle to pay tribute to the health workers and researchers fighting coronavirus.

The search engine's famed logo has been turned into an animation with a heart that hops over the letters, with the "e" transformed into one of the academics the brand is paying tribute to.

And this is only the beginning of a series that will pay tribute to people working to fight the pandemic.

An animation of the Google Doodle for Monday, April 6. Courtesy Google
An animation of the Google Doodle for Monday, April 6. Courtesy Google

"Covid-19 continues to impact communities around the world, people are coming together to help one another now more than ever.

"Over the coming weeks, we’re launching a Doodle series to recognise and honour many of those on the front lines," Google said.

"Today, we’d like to say: 'To all the public health workers and to researchers in the scientific community, thank you.'"

Many Google Doodles are only shown in specific regions, but this one has a high global reach. On Monday, April 6, it is visible in browsers across the world, including in New Zealand, Brazil, Russia and the UAE.

The reach of Monday, April 6's Google Doodle, thanking public health workers and to researchers in the scientific community. Google
The reach of Monday, April 6's Google Doodle, thanking public health workers and to researchers in the scientific community. Google

If you click the Google Doodle, you'll be taken to a handy site that details ways to help stop the spread of Covid-19.

The coronavirus safety steps Google gives readers are: 

Do

  • Wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds, with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub
  • Cover your nose and mouth with a disposable tissue or flexed elbow when you cough or sneeze
  • Avoid close contact (a metre or 3 feet) with people who are unwell
  • Stay home and self-isolate from others in the household if you feel unwell

Don't

  • Touch your eyes, nose, or mouth if your hands are not clean

This is not Google's first Doodle to pay tribute to the fight against the coronavirus.

On Friday, April 4, the animation had a simple message, for people to stay home to save lives.

On Friday, March 20, the search engine paid tribute to Ignaz Semmelweis, the Hungarian who is credited with discovering the importance of clean hands to our health.

Google celebrated Ignaz Semmelweis on Friday, March 20, with a Doodle showing an animation of the Hungarian physicist holding up a stopwatch and guiding viewers through a six-step process of effective handwashing. Google
Google celebrated Ignaz Semmelweis on Friday, March 20, with a Doodle showing an animation of the Hungarian physicist holding up a stopwatch and guiding viewers through a six-step process of effective handwashing. Google

Physician and scientist Semmelweis was born in 1818 and is recognised as one of the pioneers of antiseptic procedures.

Called the "saviour of mothers", Semmelweis introduced hand disinfection standards as a way to drastically cut the incidence of the spread of Puerperal fever – also known as childbed fever – which was common in 19th century hospitals and was often fatal.
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Read more: 

Mufidah Abdul Rahman: Google doodle celebrates one of Egypt's first female lawyers

Who is Mohammed Khadda? Google Doodle pays homage to Algerian artist

Who was Ahmed Khaled Towfik? Google Doodle honours late Egyptian author

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Rating: 4/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush

Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”

A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.

“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”

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Your rights as an employee

The government has taken an increasingly tough line against companies that fail to pay employees on time. Three years ago, the Cabinet passed a decree allowing the government to halt the granting of work permits to companies with wage backlogs.

The new measures passed by the Cabinet in 2016 were an update to the Wage Protection System, which is in place to track whether a company pays its employees on time or not.

If wages are 10 days late, the new measures kick in and the company is alerted it is in breach of labour rules. If wages remain unpaid for a total of 16 days, the authorities can cancel work permits, effectively shutting off operations. Fines of up to Dh5,000 per unpaid employee follow after 60 days.

Despite those measures, late payments remain an issue, particularly in the construction sector. Smaller contractors, such as electrical, plumbing and fit-out businesses, often blame the bigger companies that hire them for wages being late.

The authorities have urged employees to report their companies at the labour ministry or Tawafuq service centres — there are 15 in Abu Dhabi.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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