Google has updated Search to “help you find the information you need to help protect your loved ones and yourself from COVID” as the Omicron variant continues to spread at a rapid pace.
The company already offers access to a variety of information related to COVID-19 in the search results for relevant terms. That includes a statistical overview of recent cases provided by The New York Times, popular news articles, and brief answers to “common questions.”
Search users in the US will now have access to additional tools. Google tweeted:
The screenshot portraying the new tools uses the search term “covid vaccines near me,” but “covid vaccine” also works. Similar queries, such as “covid booster” or “vaccine,” do not. (At least at time of writing.) Google hasn’t said if or when the update will be available outside the US.
Google says that it’s “working with partners like VaccineFinder.org, an initiative of Boston Children’s Hospital, and other authoritative sources, such as government agencies and retail pharmacies, to gather vaccination location information and make it available.”
The company also notes that because “vaccination location and testing center information is sensitive and may change frequently,” it’s “not accepting user feedback at this time.” Communicating directly with healthcare providers and local authorities is crucial.
