Google has rolled out a host of updates to Search, YouTube, Maps and Google Pay in India to make finding COVID-19 resources easy. In an official blog post, the search engine giant said that it is focussed on three priority areas with access to latest information, amplifying safety and vaccination messages and providing financial backing for affected communities.
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Google’s latest updates aims to provide credible information on COVID-19 easily. The search engine giant is also testing a feature where users can find hospital beds and medical oxygen in the Maps app.
Google rolls out new COVID-19 features to its apps in India
Google Search aims to amplify credible COVID 19 information in India
Google Search has already been offering updates on COVID-19 since last year. Now people can find useful vaccine-related information on the search engine. Users just need to type ‘covid vaccine’ in the search and Google will provide different information panels like priority groups, effectiveness, safety, side effects, vaccination locations as well as registration information. Google also highlights the government’s official CoWin website for vaccine registration.
The new features on Google Search works across both desktop and mobile versions.
Apart from the vaccine-related information, Google Search also displays prevention, self-care and treatment panels when searching for COVID-19. Both Search and Maps now show 23,000 vaccination centres across the country in addition to displaying 2,500 testing centres. The results of vaccination centres are available in English, Hindi and seven other Indian languages. Google says that it sources information from authorised medical sources and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHW).
On the YouTube India channel, Google has created a set of curated playlist that offers videos on credible COVID-related information on vaccines, prevention and advice from medical experts. The search engine giant has also rolled out a COVID Aid campaign on Google Pay that lets users donate to NGO’s like GiveIndia, GOONJ, UNICEF India and United Way of Mumbai.
Google is also running a ‘Get the Facts’ campaign around vaccination and encouraging people to focus on authoritative information and content. The company is circulating messages through promotions on Google homepage, Doodles and reminders within its ecosystem of apps.