Netflix Extension Lets Users Chat with Friends While Watching During Coronavirus Distancing

Jodi Guglielmi
·2 min read

Netflix is doing its part to help viewers make it through the coronavirus pandemic.

As people stay home in self-quarantine and practice social-distancing to limit the spread of the viral illness, a browser extension that allows users to chat and stream shows and movies together could be just what the doctor ordered.

Called “Netflix Party,” the Google Chrome extension lets multiple users watch Netflix at the same time. Once a user selects a program to watch, they can send a link to friends to “invite” them to watch the show with them. (Invitees must also have the extension in order to join the party.) And with so many options to stream, PEOPLE has put together a list of what you should be binging.

RELATED: 10 Things You Can Do at Home While Social Distancing That Aren’t Binge-Watching TV

Of course, it wouldn’t be a party without some chatter. The extension also enables users to type messages to one another while watching the program, allowing viewers to share their thoughts in real-time.

According to the Business Insider, the extension received an update last week that added seven extra servers, making it available to even more people. PEOPLE is out to Netflix for comment.

As of Tuesday, there are at least 4,482 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United States. Many states and cities have closed schools, including New York City, the largest school district in the country. Worldwide, there are now 187,990 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 7,484 deaths.

The first cases of a mysterious respiratory illness — what is now known as COVID-2019, a form of coronavirus — began in Wuhan, China in late December. Since then, the virus has spread worldwide, leading the World Health Organization to declare a public health emergency, the first since the zika epidemic in 2016.

As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments and visit our coronavirus hub.