Google Canada ramping efforts to help Canadians find vaccines

Users have to search “vaccination near me” in Search or Maps to get even more information.

What you need to know

• Canadians will have more details on the COVID-19 vaccine rollout when they search in Google Search or in Maps.
• Google says it is working on making more information available.
• Google is also partnering with YouTube creators to release videos that offer information about COVID-19 and the vaccine.

In an effort to educate more Canadians, Google is going to make it easier to learn “why, when, and where” you can get vaccinated on Google Maps and in Google Search.

A new blog post from the tech giant said that as vaccine rollouts ramp up, the company is working to “provide Canadians with accurate information about vaccination facts and location.” Google says that searching for “vaccines near me” has increased 10 times in the past month as more Canadians become eligible to get the vaccine. Similar efforts were made to residents in India.

Users now just have to type in “COVID-19 vaccine” in either Search or Maps, which are some of the best Android apps, and the nearest vaccination locations near you will pop up. Details in your search result will include whether an appointment or referral is required or if access is limited to specific groups.

Google said it has partnered with Clinia Health and other authoritative sources that include government agencies and retail pharmacies to gather vaccination location and information.

If users want even more specific information about COVID-19 and the vaccine, type “COVID-19 and (your province)” in Search. You’ll get further information about vaccine efficacy, side effects, priority groups, statistics, and the latest COVID-19 related news, Google said.

The blog post also highlighted that Google has partnered with YouTube creator Brandon Gonez, who sat down with Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, for a “candid conversation” about the global pandemic.

“The video address a number of questions from ‘what differentiates an mRNA and viral-vector based COVID vaccine?’ to ‘can I travel after getting the COVID vaccine?'”