Google will discontinue support for the Special Announcements structured data type related to COVID-19, with a complete phase-out scheduled for July 31, 2025. This structured data type was introduced in April 2020 to facilitate the announcement of various COVID-related information. Although initially intended for pandemic-related purposes, it was also used by local businesses to communicate new store hours, albeit without generating rich results.
The Special Announcement structured data remained a “beta” feature throughout its existence, meaning it was subject to changes and never fully integrated as an official structured data type. Users could submit special announcements through structured data or the Google Search Console.
Continuing to use the Special Announcement structured data will not negatively impact users' sites, but it will not influence Google Search results.
