The start of the COVID-19 pandemic is now five years in the rearview mirror, but its effects continue to reverberate. While those leading the US healthcare system have embraced conspiracy theories and junk science to justify a reduced focus on vaccines (particularly the COVID jab) many people are still seeking out immunization. Google Maps isn't a good way to find it, though. In recent days, almost all search results for COVID vaccines have vanished from Google Maps.
In both the mobile app and website, Google Maps returns zero results for terms like "COVID vaccine" and simply "vaccines." We've tested and confirmed this in multiple US regions, as well as internationally. In some places, these searches will return no local results but may include links to facilities hundreds of miles away. Meanwhile, searches for less-contentious injections like "flu vaccine" and "shingles vaccine" continue to get local results.
The FDA under Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently approved the updated COVID shot, but the agency only recommends it for those with underlying health conditions and people over age 65. That makes boosters harder for many Americans to get—and the first step is often finding a nearby provider of immunization. For at least the last week, Google Maps has returned no results for those vaccine-related queries.