Source: Apple
What you need to know
- Apple has begun listing COVID-19 testing locations in the Apple Maps app.
- Users can search for a location in the Maps app, using Spotlight, or with Siri.
- Recognized locations will show a badge that indicates it is a testing site.
A couple of weeks ago, Apple launched a website dedicated to collecting information on COVID-19 testing locations across the country. The website hoped for those in the healthcare community to submit their location information so that the company could build out a database of testing locations it could eventually display to users in the Apple Maps app.
It appears that, as of today, those efforts are beginning to come to fruition. Users of the Apple Maps app are now beginning to see COVID-19 testing locations pop up in the Apple Maps app.
Searching for one of these locations is incredibly easy. To do so, open the Apple Maps app and tap on the search bar. Under the "Search Nearby" section which normally sits underneath your recent searches, "COVID-19 Testing" should be the first choice. Tap on that and Apple will display the nearest testing locations to you.
For the locations that do offer testing, you will see a "COVID-19 Testing Site" badge on that location, along with a message such as the following example:
"COVID-19 testing may require a doctor's referral and an appointment at the testing center."
Elevating COVID-19 testing locations to the top of the "Search Nearby" list is one of Apple's latest moves to focus on the essential needs of its users during the pandemic. At the beginning of the month, the company announced that it would be prioritizing essential business categories in the Apple Maps app to make it easier for users to find the most important things they need such as groceries, food delivery, pharmacies, and hospitals.
The availability of COVID-19 testing locations is sure to expand as Apple continues to receive more submissions from the healthcare community. If you are a testing location and want to be included in Apple Maps, you can get in contact with Apple through the COVID-19 Testing Locations website.
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