Apple Maps’ COVID-19 testing locations are now live across the US and Puerto Rico. Simply search for healthcare providers and laboratories in your area, or view local sites directly on the map.
Apple began collecting assessment locations earlier this month, encouraging businesses to share information on points Apple “may display” to users. The database launched this week, and is expected to roll out to more countries “soon,” as reported by 9to5Mac.
Denoted by a red asterisk symbol, verified venues include details such as place name, address, phone number, hours of operation, and direct website. A card at the bottom of the screen also provides additional information such as type of location (hospital, lab, diagnostic services center), nature of site (drive-through, parking lot, inside building), and whether a referral is required.
To suggest new testing centers, healthcare providers can “Add a missing place” via the “info” icon in the upper right corner of Maps; download, fill out, and return a template through Apple’s portal; or send an updated spreadsheet to [email protected]. When submitting location information, Apple requests that you do not include any personal details.
Cupertino recently teamed up with Google to create a smartphone-based system to notify folks when they’ve come into contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. The “contact tracing” technology aims to help authorities track and contain the illness. CEO Tim Cook, meanwhile, promised to ship one million face shields to health workers every week; he is working with governments to ensure the masks are donated “to places of greatest need.”
