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Super easy way to find a COVID testing location with just your voice
Virtual assistants can make tasks much easier, like controlling smart appliances and getting the latest news. But just as the pandemic forced businesses to operate differently, so have these smart assistants’ functions.
Apple, Google and Amazon have all made changes to their virtual assistants to help fight COVID. Whether it’s how to prevent the spread or stay safe, help is just a question away. Tap or click here for a COVID calculator you need to try.
While Alexa can sing you a 20-second song while you wash your hands, Amazon has now updated her to provide you with a list of COVID-19 testing centers, and it’s easy to use.
How it works
Since Alexa will show you a list of testing locations, the question works best when asking a device with a screen. Here is how you ask Alexa:
- Open the Alexa app on your device
- Tap the ask Alexa button
- Then ask, “Where can I get tested for Covid-19?”
If you’re asking through a smartphone, tablet or Echo device with a screen, you’ll see a list of options. After the nearest locations have been listed, you can tap them to get more info.
If you are using an Echo device without a screen, ask Alexa like you would any other question. She will return results based on your location and the nearest centers listed on GISCorps.
When a telephone number is displayed on the screen, you can ask Alexa to phone that center. If you’re searching on a device that doesn’t have a screen, you can still ask Alexa to call any of them. Just say, “Alexa, call the first location.”
Alexa and COVID symptoms
Visiting a dedicated testing center or healthcare professional is the best way of checking for COVID-19, but Alexa can tell you signs to watch for.
Last year Amazon rolled out an update where Alexa can tell you symptoms of COVID-19 — although she should never replace a qualified doctor. By asking, “Alexa, what do I do if I think I have COVID-19?” she will launch into a series of questions.
These will include your travel history, possible exposure and your symptoms. After that is completed, she will provide you with official Centers for Disease Control and Prevention information.
Search for COVID vaccine locations
In the same update to Alexa’s software, she can also point you in the right direction if you are looking for a COVD-19 vaccine location.
Using research organization IQVIA’s data, when you ask, “Alexa find a COVID trial,” she will look for any vaccine centers within 30 miles of your current location. Before you search for a center, keep in mind that you might not be in the designated group of people who qualify.
Check with your local healthcare provider to find out who currently qualifies for the vaccine, and remember that it could be different in several states. Tap or click here for a quiz that can help determine when you’ll qualify for the vaccine.
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This COVID vaccine scam is particularly nasty – signs to watch for
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