Google said Monday it added a layer in Maps that will give users information on COVID-19 cases in certain areas to help them plan their travels.
Data for Maps' COVID-19 feature are sourced from Johns Hopkins University and the New York Times, both of which aggregate numbers from the World Health Organization, Google said. The same sources supply COVID-19 information on Search.
"While getting around is more complicated these days, Google Maps features hope to help people get where they need to be as safely and efficiently as possible," Google said.
The feature has begun to roll out for Android and iOS users so be sure to keep your Maps app updated.
How does it work? Here's a step-by-step from Google Philippines
1. On Google Maps, tap on the layers button on the top right hand corner of your screen and click on “COVID-19 info”
2. A seven-day average of new COVID cases per 100,000 people for the area of the map will show, including a label that indicates whether the cases are trending up or down.
3. Color coding will help distinguish the density of new cases in an area. Trending case data is visible at the country level for all 220 countries and territories that Google Maps supports including the Philippines, along with province and city-level data where available.
