Apple has today updated its Apple Maps to display United States COVID-19 vaccination locations from VaccineFinder, a free, online service developed by Boston Children’s Hospital. VaccineFinder provides the latest vaccine availability for those eligible at providers and pharmacies throughout the US.
Apple Maps users can find nearby COVID-19 vaccination locations from the Search bar in Apple Maps by selecting COVID-19 Vaccines in the Find Nearby menu or by asking Siri, “Where can I get a COVID vaccination?”
Vaccine location listings provide vaccination operating hours, address, phone number, and a link to the provider’s website where Apple Maps users can get more information about available vaccines and book an appointment.
While the initial rollout includes more than 20,000 locations, Apple says it will be adding more sites in the coming weeks. Healthcare providers, labs, or other businesses can submit information on COVID-19 testing or vaccination locations on the Apple Business Register page. Once validated, Apple may display information about the testing or vaccination locations to people using Apple services such as Apple Maps.
- 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’s 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?”
