Any time you need to find a provide for flu immunization, Google can help you find one in no time with its new flu shot finder, as teaming up with the government, the search engine makes it easier to find a vaccine near you. Google’s flu shot finder lets you know where the seasonal and H1N1 vaccine can be found in your neighbourhood.

As flu vaccines are in extremely short supply, Google stepping in has launched a flu shot finder application for Google Maps to help people find places they can get immunization shots at.

To be found at www. google. com/flushot, it works just like any other Google Maps application. All one has to do is enter one’s address, press the Go button for the application to lay out icons shaped like hypodermic needles and colour-coded, with red for seasonal flu shots, blue for H1N1 shots, two-tone for both on a map, showing where flu shots are to be found in your area. The tool can also be found on the American Lung Association web site.

So far, twenty states have provided the data so far, as Google continues to input data from chain pharmacies and other providers in all 50 states; showing results from chains like Walgreens, CVS, including PDX participants like Kmart, Duane Reade, WinnDixie, and Giant Eagle.

Google recommends calling flu vaccine providers ahead of time to ensure the vaccines are available, as well as, to find out whether they are eligible to receive the shots.

Moving aggressively into the healthcare market, Google is doing far more than generic search. Partnering with Allscripts, the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Longs Drugs and Walgreens, Google Health allows people to store not only their own, but also their family medical records, including receiving personalized information and advice. Competiting with Google, rival Microsoft has launched a similar service called HealthVault.

While, Google Flu Trends, which is available in 20-countries and 38-languages, including the United States and England helps track the spread of flu by tracking locations where people are searching for information about it.