Google Maps, Search app will now show nearby Covid-19 vaccination centres in India

Covid-19 vaccination drive is underway across India, but the rate of inoculation for at-risk people (aged 45 plus and with co-morbidities) in the country is abysmally low compared to other parts of the world such as the US.

The government is making Covid-19 vaccines at both state-run and private hospitals. Last week, it started the 'Tika Utsav' (meaning vaccination festival) to encourage people to register on CoWIN app and portal to vaccination, but it hasn't received a good response.

But, there is a continued general lack of awareness among citizens to find the nearest vaccination centre. Now, the search engine giant has launched a new feature on both its Maps and Search app.

Users just have to type 'vaccination centre near me' on Google Maps; it will list all the relevant hospitals with location details.

Vaccination centres near me on Google Maps. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

On the Google Search app, type 'vaccination centre near me'; it will show similar information. Also, based on the traveling pattern between home and office, it offers an additional option to list vaccination centres the user prefers to get inoculated.

Furthermore, it also offers information on who should get vaccinated first. In India, only people aged above 45 and all those with co-morbidities are eligible to get the Covid-19 vaccine.

Vaccination centres near me on Google Search. Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

For now, the government is offering two vaccines-- Covishield (by Oxford-AstraZeneca) and Covaxin (by Bharat Biotech). Soon, it will roll out Russia's Sputnik V for emergency usage.

Recently, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare approved foreign Covid-19 vaccines in India.

This will pave the way for domestic availability of vaccines approved for restricted use by other global government agencies including the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration), EMA(European Medicines Agency), UK MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency), PMDA (Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency) Japan or which are listed in WHO (World Health Organisation) Emergency Use listing.

Besides India, Google Maps and Search apps will offer similar vaccination centres in five other regions including the US, Canada, France, Chile, and Singapore.

Google announced that it will provide 250,000 Covid-19 vaccinations to countries in need, extend funds for setting up pop-up vaccine sites in the US. It also pledged an additional $250 million in Ad Grants to connect people to accurate vaccine information.

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