Google now shows Covid-19 testing centres in India: How to use

Earlier Google had announced that they will be launching new Covid-19 related features in several countries. Now the company has started rolling out one of those features in India. The tech company has partnered with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and MyGov in order to help people find Covid-19 testing centres.

Google has introduced a new testing tab on its Covid-19 related search. If a user is looking for any information regarding Covid-19 on Google Search, the dedicated Covid-19 section is now showing a testing tab. This tab provides the location of listed testing centres close to the user. Along with the location, it also shows key information and guidance needed before using their services.

The listing also shows what are the government-mandated requirements which includes, calling the national or state helplines before heading out to get tested, carrying a doctor’s prescription (referral required), testing restrictions (tests are limited to certain patients) and information about whether the lab is government- or private-run.

Google Maps will also show nearby testing centres when the user enters keywords like “covid 19 testing” or “coronavirus testing”. The listing will be paired with a link to Google Search for the government-mandated requirements. Tapping the ‘Learn more’ link leads to more information from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).

According to the company, currently the search has over 700 testing labs listed on Search, Assistant, and Maps spanning more than 300 cities. Google has claimed that they will continue to work with ICMR and add more labs across the country. The new feature is currently available in English, Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, and Gujarati.