Jul 13, 2017

Google now lets users book salon, spa appointments through its apps

"That fresh haircut or palm tree-green mani is only a couple taps away," Google Maps product manager Alex Russell writes in a statement announcing "Reserve with Google."

The feature lets users book health and wellness appointments (workout classes, mediation, spa, salon etc.) directly from its Search or Maps apps via a "book" button that will link to an appointment page. Google has partnered with an array of scheduling features, many already available to the public, like Genbook and SalonRunner, to book the appointments.

Why it matters: This is another feature the tech titan has added to keep users from having to leave any of its apps. It also will help Google further collect data about user behaviors and interests — data that they can use to make business decisions or target ads against.

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Q&A: Minimizing your coronavirus risk

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

As the coronavirus continues to spread throughout the U.S., Axios is answering readers' questions about the pandemic — how it spreads, who's at risk, and what you can do to stay safe.

What's new: This week, we answer five questions on smokers' vulnerability, food safety, visiting older parents, hair cut needs, and rural vs. urban impact.

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Alison Snyder, Eileen Drage O'Reilly

The other coronavirus test we need

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Researchers are racing to develop tests that detect whether someone may have developed immunity to the coronavirus, which could help society return to normal faster.

Why it matters: These tests could help people know if they are able to go back to work, as well as aid researchers in tracking the scale and death rate of the disease — key data for current and future pandemic policies.

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What the U.S. can learn from other countries in the coronavirus fight

Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins; Note: Cases are shown on a logarithmic scale; Chart: Naema Ahmed/Axios

The countries that have most successfully fended off the novel coronavirus have mainly done it with a combination of new technology and old-school principles.

Why it matters: There's a lot the U.S. can learn from the way other countries have handled this global pandemic — although we may not be able to apply those lessons as quickly as we'd like.

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