Smartphone-enabled transportation vendor Uber, in partnership with Vaccine Finder, has expanded its pilots of home-delivered flu prevention packets and free flu vaccinations, to Chicago after an "overwhelming" response to similar pilots in New York, Boston, and Washington, D.C.
"Utilizing Uber's technology to deliver flu vaccines has tremendous possibilities," said Harvard University epidemiologist John Brownstein, creator of Vaccine Finder. "Uber is giving medical professionals the ability to leverage their unique logistical platform to provide access to crucial medical services in a new and innovative way."
Uber account holders are able to request the flu prevention packs by using the UberHealth portion of their app. An UberHealth vehicle then arrives at the requester's location with the prevention packs, which include a packet of EmergenC, water, mini hand sanitizer, mini Kleenex, and a lollipop.
A registered nurse from Passport Health, eligible to administer flu shots, rides along and upon verbal request can administer shots in an appropriate indoor location to up to 10 people at each visit, and also takes care of all paperwork and consent forms.
