Testing for COVID-19 is still a tough endeavor, as finding testing facilities can be difficult. You have to do extensive research or rely on dubious third-party apps to guide you to the nearest testing center. Apple will make things easier, however, with a new Apple Maps feature. The company has launched a dedicated web page that allows hospitals, labs, and healthcare centers to register as COVID-19 testing locations.
The process is pretty simple. A hospital that performs COVID-19 testing has to download and fill a template form, then email it to Apple. The latter will review the application and reach out to verify the details if necessary. The idea is for confirmed locations to be displayed on Apple Maps to help people find a nearby COVID-19 testing center.
Apart from contact information about testing facilities, Apple Maps will list other useful details like working hours, referral or appointment requirements, the specific kind of COVID-19 testing being performed, as well as the type of the facility – building, drive-through, lab, etc.
It will probably take some time before you start seeing those locations on your phone, however. Healthcare organizations have to apply and get verified, which takes time. Nevertheless, offering such integration within Apple Maps will give people a secure and easy way to find the nearest testing site if they feel their condition requires a test.
Last month, Apple released a free COVID-19 app that includes a self-testing tool from the CDC that tells you whether you need to see a doctor or get tested. When testing locations start to show on Apple Maps, it will be even easier for people to react if they feel sick or uneasy about the current COVID-19 situation.