"Can dogs get coronavirus", "is school going to be cancelled?" and of course the latest NRL scores are some of the searches trending on Google this week as people look for answers in these uncertain times.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
With the current state of the world consumed by a fog of COVID-19 uncertainly, it's no surprise Google's search trends this week have reflected most things coronavirus related. Google Trends data showed that interest first spiked in late January in Australia, then surged again in early March and has peaked this week to reach a new record high.
Popular searches include, 'how many cases in Australia', 'how did coronavirus start', 'what is coronavirus', and 'what to do if you think you have coronavirus'.
The family canine's health even shows up as a concern during this pandemic, with "can dogs get coronavirus" coming in at number 12 in the top 20 list of coronavirus-related searches.
However, the role toilet paper plays in the COVID-19 pandemic, didn't make the trending searches, but "is diarrhoea a symptom of covid 19?", was among the top five trending questions for symptoms this week.
Google Trends showed the topic searched most alongside "coronavirus" in each state and territory was "symptoms", which has climbed to its highest peak on record nationally this week.
Search interest for "COVID 19 symptom checker" spiked to more than 1,350 percent in the past seven days, while "What to do if you have coronavirus symptoms Australia?" spiked more than 4,090 per cent.
Top 20 coronavirus related searches
Most searched questions for coronavirus for the past seven days in Australia:
- How many cases of coronavirus in Australia?
- How did coronavirus start?
- Can you get coronavirus twice?
- How long does coronavirus last?
- What is coronavirus?
- What are the symptoms of coronavirus?
- How many people have died from coronavirus?
- When will coronavirus end?
- How to get tested for coronavirus.
- Where to get tested for coronavirus.
- Is coronavirus airborne?
- Can dogs get coronavirus?
- How long does coronavirus last on surfaces?
- How is coronavirus spread?
- When did coronavirus start?
- How many people die from the flu?
- When to get tested for coronavirus?
- How did coronavirus originate?
- What to do if you think you have coronavirus.
- Is there a cure for coronavirus?
Top trending questions on symptoms, past seven days in Australia:
- Is runny nose a symptom of covid 19?
- What to do if you have coronavirus symptoms Australia?
- Is dry throat a symptom of coronavirus?
- How long does coronavirus symptoms take to show?
- Is diarrhoea a symptom of covid 19?
Most searched cancellations, past seven days in Australia:
- Is school going to be cancelled?
- Is the grand prix cancelled?
- Will domestic flights be cancelled in Australia?
- Is Bluesfest cancelled?
- Is Groovin The Moo cancelled?
Non-coronavirus searches
But what's probably more interesting is the non-coronavirus related searches... basically it's a list of what to watch on Netflix.
Movies and sport are the top searches, with people really drawing from the back catalogue with old films like American suspense-thriller, Marathon Man, from 1976 starring Dustin Hoffman and Laurence Olivier. Or Thunderball, the 1965 spy film and the fourth in the James Bond series; and a movie called the High School Lover was trending at number two this week.
Sport was another widely searched non-coronavirus topic in the past seven days with Australian NRL scores trending at number four and the American football team Tampa Bay Buccaneers of Florida trending at number eight.
Even Oprah is still making a splash in the world outside COVID-19, trending at number 10 in the non-caronavirus related topics.
Top 10 trending non-coronavirus related searches, past seven days in Australia:
- St. Patrick's day
- High School Lover
- NRL scores
- Lost Girls
- Roger Mayweather
- Thunderball movie
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Marathon Man
- India vs South Africa
- Oprah
