Social media platform Facebook is ready to join hands with the government to roll out a vaccine finder tool on its mobile app this week for helping people to identify the nearby places to get vaccinated.

The announcement comes at a time when the country has begun the vaccination process for all citizens above 18 years.

Earlier this week, social media had announced a $10 million grant for emergency response efforts for the COVID19 situation in India, which is struggling with a deadly second wave of COVID-19.

Facebook said in a public post, “We are committed to doing our best to help the local communities in the country with medical supplies and other life-saving equipment.”

The tool will provide the information in as many as 17 languages. The details of the vaccine center locations and their hours of operation have been provided by the ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW).

According to the government data, over 2.45 crore people have already registered on the CO-WIN app ahead of Phase-3 of the COVID-19 vaccination.

In a post, Facebook said that their tool will also show walk-in options for those aged above 45 years and a link to register on the C0-Win website and schedule vaccination appointments.

They stated, “We are also partnering with the organizations such as United Way, Swasth, Hemkunt Foundation, I Am Gurgaon, Project Mumbai, and US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) to deploy the funds announced to help augment critical medical supplies with over 5,000 oxygen concentrators and other life-saving equipment like ventilators, BiPAP machines and to increase hospital bed capacity.”

The platform said that they are also providing health resources to people from UNICEF Indian about when to seek emergency care and how to manage mild symptoms at home. The information is accessible and prominent on Facebook’s COVID-19 Information Center and in Feed. It is also promoting this information on Instagram.

Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have emerged as a lifeline, connecting to those looking for oxygen cylinders, hospital beds, plasma donors, and ventilators with possible donors.

Twitter too has set up a COVID-19 SOS page that helps surface information from those offering or seeking immediate help during the crises.

The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has badly hit India, With the country reporting nearly four lakh daily cases.