Facebook pins state vaccine information to the top of the News Feed for US users

As all adults across the US become eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, Facebook is making it easier for its users to find information based on where they live. The company has started rolling out a feature that pins a box with state-specific information about where to get a COVID-19 vaccine at the top of the News Feed for every US user living in a state where the general public is eligible to receive the shot.

The box, once available, will appear at the top of your News Feed and show you state-specific information, confirming that you are now eligible to receive the vaccine, including a link on where to find the vaccine in your province, as seen in the image below:

Image: Facebook

Most US states have now made vaccination appointments available to all adults, although some states are still lagging. With more availability, it has become a challenge for some people in certain parts of the US to book an appointment, leading some volunteers to build dedicated websites to help people in their search.

The feature is also available in “nearly 20 countries,” according to Facebook, with the ultimate goal to release it in more areas as countries begin opening COVID-19 vaccinations to the general public.

Facebook rolled out a similar feature to its mobile app last year, which helped fight misinformation about COVID-19 appearing on its platform as the site saw a surge in users. Facebook says more than 3 million US users clicked through those promotions between January and March, suggesting the new vaccine links may reach a significant number of Facebook users in the months to come.