Google Maps will now offer COVID-19-related alerts for travelers

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While many of us have been staying at home and limiting our traveling, states are now starting to open back up but not without limitations. This means that vacations and even just traveling to your job could come with stipulations.

You can find that information out with enough searching, but now, Google is adding new features to Google Maps that should help with your traveling. In the latest update, Google Maps users will see various prompts and information, mainly focused on public transportation.

Google is scraping the information from local transit agencies, so while it may not always be completely up-to-date, it’s a good start.

These alerts will include things like passenger restrictions (spacing, lower number of riders, etc) and if the location requires you to wear a mask while using public transportation.

In addition to public transportation alerts, drivers in the US, Mexico, and Canada (with more locations in the future) will also see relevant COVID-19 checkpoint information (typically associated with border crossings).

If you are going to a COVID-19 testing center, Google Maps will tell you “to verify eligibility and facility guidelines to avoid being turned away or causing additional strain on the local healthcare system.”

The public transportation alerts are first rolling out to Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, France, India, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom, and the U.S.

What do you think? Glad to see these features coming to Google Maps? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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