Ars reached out to Google for an evidence, receiving a cryptic and considerably unsatisfying reply. “Displaying correct data on Maps is a prime precedence,” says a Google spokesperson. “We’re working to repair this technical concern.”

Thus far, we’re not conscious of different Maps searches which have been equally affected. Google has but to reply to additional questions on the character of the obvious glitch, which has worn out COVID vaccine data in Maps whereas persevering with to return outcomes for different medical companies and immunizations.

The sudden eroding of federal help for routine vaccinations lurks within the background with this weird concern. When the Trump administration determined to rename the Gulf of Mexico, Google was extensively hectored for its choice to rapidly present “Gulf of America” on its maps, aligning with the Trump administration’s most well-liked nomenclature. With the ramping up of anti-vaccine actions on the federal degree, it’s tempting to see an analogous, nefarious objective behind these disappearing outcomes.

At current, we now have no proof that the change in Google’s search outcomes was intentional or focused particularly at COVID immunization—certainly, making that change in such a ham-fisted approach could be inadvisable. It does look like an ill-timed and unusually particular “technical concern,” although. If Google offers additional particulars on the lacking search outcomes, we’ll put up an replace.