MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – Google has launched an online map service designed to provide U.S. consumers with the nearest locations for receiving seasonal and H1N1 vaccines.

Google developed the flu shot finder through a collaboration with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, their flu.gov collaborators and the American Lung Association.

The service is live at google.com/flushot, and officials say it will shortly be available on www.flu.gov and the American Lung Association Web site.

Google officials are warning consumers that the project is "just beginning and we have not yet received information about flu shot clinics for many locations. In addition, many locations that are shown are currently out of stock."

"We launched this service now in order to help disseminate information about locations where vaccines are available, and also to make more vaccine providers aware of the project so that they can contribute," said Roni Zeiger, MD, product manager at Google, and Jennifer Haroon, product marketing manager, on the company's blog.

The flu shot finder currently has "data for locations of flu vaccine directly from 20 states and counting," they said.

Officials said they will add information from chain pharmacies and other providers across the country, including Walgreens, CVS and PDX participants such as Kmart, Duane Reade, WinnDixie and Giant Eagle.