While the pandemic and its effects is still a major concern, in several parts of the world, COVID-19 vaccination efforts are the top priority right now. Google previously announced what they are doing to help disseminate information about the various vaccines and where people can get it. Now Facebook is also announcing its plans in bringing more information tools to its users to help them get vaccinated. This includes a tool within the platform to find out where they can get vaccinated and expanding their COVID-19 Information Center to Instagram.
Facebook has partnered with Boston Children’s Hospital to develop a tool for US residents to find nearby places where they can get the vaccine. The information is provided by VaccineFinder and the tool can be found in the COVID-19 Information Center within the platform. It’s available in 71 different languages and includes information like operation hours, contact information, and how you can make an appointment.
The COVID-19 Information Center is also now available on Instagram so people can get information from local health ministries and the World Health Organization within the platform itself. They’re also releasing vaccination-related stickers on Instagram Stories in case that’s your thing. The WhatsApp chatbots are also helping people get registered for vaccinations in places like Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia, and South Africa.
We’ve seen Facebook also work on not just providing reliable and accurate information but also be more proactive in removing false information about the coronavirus and now vaccines as well. They have expanded their list of false claims and have since then removed 2 million pieces of content from both Facebook and Instagram. They’re now adding labels to posts that discuss the vaccines, including those that talk about the safety of the vaccines and the various tests they go through to get approved. The label is rolling out in English, Spanish, Indonesian, Portuguese, Arabic, and French.
Facebook is also sharing some visualizations with data and insights on vaccine attitudes to help public officials understand trends in over 200 countries and territories. The COVID-19 map and dashboard are updated in almost real-time from data collected by Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Maryland as part of their COVID-19 Symptom Survey. The data will hopefully help messaging tactics and policy decisions in their respective regions.
