Apple Maps has been updated to show COVID-19 vaccination centers in the United States. Users can find COVID-19 vaccination location near them in Apple Map’s search or by simply asking Siri, “Where can I get a COVID-19 vaccination?”
The vaccination location data is provided from VaccineFinder, “a free online service developed by Boston Children’s Hospital that provides the latest vaccine availability for those eligible at providers and pharmacies throughout the US.” Apple also mentions that other healthcare providers, labs, and other facilities can register their COVID-19 testing or/and vaccination location at its Apple Business Register page.
Users in the U.S can now search for COVID-19 vaccination centers on Apple Maps
Fortunately, coronavirus vaccinations are being administered in various countries around the globe and Apple Maps lets U.S citizens search for vaccination centers near them to schedule their doses. In addition to the vaccination facilities, Apple Maps also offers other COVID-19 related features to help users through the pandemic:
- COVID-19 testing locations: Last year, Apple updated Apple Maps to display COVID-19 testing sites in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United States.
- Local business updates: Apple Maps now displays COVID-19 modules on the business place cards for more than 4,400 locations, allowing retailers to communicate COVID-19-related information to their customers, like special shopping hours.
- Siri knowledge about COVID-19: In addition to helping users find nearby testing sites and vaccination locations, Siri can quickly identify outdoor dining options or provide a list of nearby restaurants offering takeout. Siri Audio Briefs help users receive the latest news and information about the pandemic through short podcasts from trusted news providers, and Siri can also provide guidance and resources from the CDC if asked, “How do I know if I have coronavirus?”
To answer users’ privacy concerns, the company clarifies that data collected by the Apple Maps app is not personally identifiable.
Apple built privacy into the core of Maps from the beginning. Data collected by Maps, like search terms, navigation routing, and traffic information, is associated with random, rotating identifiers that continually reset, so Apple doesn’t have profiles of users’ movements and searches. This enables Maps to provide a great experience, while protecting user privacy.
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