Google News Initiative

The Covid-19 pandemic is a global health crisis marked by extreme uncertainty, and we’ve been turning to the internet for answers. Schema partnered with Google News Initiative, Alberto Cairo (who provided art direction), and Axios to visualize our waves of interest in specific coronavirus-related topics over time. Using Google Trends data to analyze coronavirus-related search queries within the US, as well as English-language searches in five other countries, Schema created a microsite that reveals the types of information we’ve been seeking as the pandemic has progressed. View the site.
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What We Searched For

By organizing queries according to whether they start with “how to” or “what is/are,” the visualization explores when users may have been looking to take specific actions. Breaking search information into topic categories reveals that certain subjects were relevant during distinct periods.

US and International Data

The primary visualization looks closely at US query data, enabling users to discover specific searches and see overall patterns. Graphs for five other countries plus the US also show broader English-language search trends with similarities and differences across nations.