FACEBOOK LAUNCHES IN-APP VACCINE FINDER TOOL IN INDIA

American technology conglomerate Facebook has partnered with the Indian government to roll out a vaccine finder tool on its mobile app in India, which will help people identify places nearby to get vaccinated.

According to Mashable, earlier this week, Facebook announced a USD 10 million grant for emergency response efforts for the COVID-19 situation in the country. The vaccine tracker tool will allow users to find the nearest vaccine centre locations and their hours of operation as shared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). The tracker tool will also aggregate and display walk-in options (for 45 years and above) along with a link to register on the Cowin portal and schedule vaccination appointments.

Facebook said in a post on its platform, “Partnering with the Government of India, Facebook will begin rolling out its Vaccine Finder tool on the Facebook mobile app in India available in 17 languages to help people identify places nearby to get the vaccine.”

The company said that it is also will be joining hands with NGOs and agencies — namely, United Way, Swasth, Hemkunt Foundation, I Am Gurgaon, Project Mumbai and US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) — to deploy the funds announced to help build up a stock of critical medical supplies with over 5,000 oxygen concentrators and other life-saving equipment like ventilators, BiPAP machines.

As per Mashable, Facebook also said that the COVID-19 Information Center and in Feed will also have information on how to seek emergency care and how to manage mild COVID-19 symptoms at home, and this will be provided by UNICEF India.