Google To Launch Vaccine Center Tracker

SAN ANGELO, TX -- Slowly but surely the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine is making headway in the U.S. As federal and state governments coordinate to expand access to the vaccine, Google is joining the effort.

According to the tech giant, "searches for 'vaccines near me' have increased 5x since the beginning of the year."

In order to provide expanded access to accurate and timely information, the search engine will provide vaccine updates and vaccination locations in more than 40 countries and dozens of languages.

"In the coming weeks, COVID-19 vaccination locations will be available in Google Search and Maps, starting with Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, with more states and countries to come. We’ll include details like whether an appointment or referral is required, if access is limited to specific groups, or if it has a drive-through," said Google in a statement. "We’re working with partners like VaccineFinder.org, an initiative of Boston Children's Hospital, and other authoritative sources, such as government agencies and retail pharmacies, to gather vaccination location information and make it available."

According to the John Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, Texas is leading in vaccination efforts.

The Lone Star State has administered a total of 1,713,980 doses. 

As of Monday morning, more than 254,687 people, or 0.88% of the population have been fully vaccinated in Texas.