Google rolls out free, weekly at-home COVID-19 testing for all US employees

Updated: Dec 19, 2020 / 05:50 AM CST

FILE PHOTO: An illuminated Google logo is seen inside an office building in Zurich, Switzerland December 5, 2018. Picture taken with a fisheye lens. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo/File Photo

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif (Reuters) — Alphabet Inc’s Google said on Friday it is offering free and weekly at-home COVID-19 testing for all its U.S. employees and plans to expand the benefit globally during the next year.

A Google spokesman said the company had rolled out the benefit this week for all 90,000 U.S. employees, with the initiative guaranteeing them a weekly, at-home nasal swab and a lab analysis.

The company is recommending every staffer be tested weekly, although it is not mandatory, the spokesman said.