Social network points users to vaccine signup information.
As vaccine eligibility expanded Monday to 4.4 million Californians with health conditions that make them more vulnerable to COVID-19, Facebook announced a new feature Monday to help people figure out when and where they can get vaccinated. The feature, which will appear in Facebook account-holders’ news feeds as well as on Instagram accounts, aims “to make it easier for everyone to get vaccinated,” Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s founder and CEO, said in a post Monday. “Today we’re launching a global campaign to help bring 50 million people a step closer to getting Covid-19 vaccines,” Zuckerberg said in the post. “We’re launching a tool that shows you when and where you can get vaccinated, and gives you a link to make an appointment.” The social media giant’s foray into helping those eligible secure the vaccines comes amid what has been an uneven rollout across the country, as states and counties administer the potentially life-saving shots with varied degrees of efficiency. Among the most populous states, California’s rate of vaccinating residents is ahead of Texas but behind Florida and New York. On Monday, the state added to the eligibility list 4.4 million people ages 16-64 with health conditions or disabilities that make them more vulnerable to the respiratory virus.
