Google Maps is a tool that usually provides real-time information on traffic or road conditions, thanks to Waze technology. This app of Israeli origin acquired by the Mountain View company drinks from crowdsourcing or information dumped by its millions of drivers and co-drivers.
Now Google also wants its mapping tool to serve as a useful aid during the coronavirus crisis. The firm hopes that through it users can be informed of when there are interruptions in commercial activity and closures of shops and businesses.
For this reason, the technology company has asked and recommended to business owners to update their data in Google My Business so that it appears reflected in Maps and consumers can know if and when they are open. Thanks to this data driven by the responsibility of merchants, citizens will be able to plan to go out to buy food and supplies.
“If your company is affected by COVID-19, update your profile on Google My Business to provide the most accurate information to your customers . For example, change your opening hours if you close early or add more details in the description. The updates will be shown on your business profile in Google Search and Maps ”, advises the company.
Google remembers that it reserves the right to review the quality of the changes, so it is possible that these will not be reflected in Google Maps immediately.
“You can share information about any additional precautions that the company is taking , if you are providing an additional service to the community or if you are experiencing delays,” they add.
In Spain there are already closed public centers
At the moment in Spain the stores are opening normally , but measures are being taken against other types of centers. In Madrid, the more than 200 existing centers for the elderly have been closed to avoid possible infections among the elderly, the population with the highest risk.
In Madrid and the Basque Country, all schools, institutes and universities have been closed in order to try to contain the spread of COVID-19 infections . The owners of some hotels have also decided to close them.
The Community and the Madrid City Council have also decided to close down libraries, cultural centers, municipal theaters, exhibition centers, etc. In all these cases, it would be very interesting if their managers or administrators could use Google Maps to update the information and prevent citizens from traveling to these places.
Google Maps to track cases
Apart from its commercial use, the Google tool has also included for a few weeks an option to be able to track the number of cases in real time and monitor the progress of the virus throughout the planet.
It is an interactive map where you can find where new affected people have been identified, how many deaths there are, etc. You can move to the place within the map you want, enlarge the image or reduce it. Thus, Google Maps can be a good tool to know the evolution of the coronavirus in certain areas if you plan to travel or travel.
