No excuse now: Uber brings flu shots to you

Nov. 19--Uber a flu shot?

There's an app for that.

The mobile ride-share service Uber on Thursday will drive registered nurses to administer flu shots to people in 35 cities, including Pittsburgh.

The cost is $10 and includes a health packet containing a bottle of hand sanitizer, tissues and a lollipop. Vaccine seekers can order the shot between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

"Having a stranger drive you around town is one thing; having someone vaccinate you is different," said Dr. Marc Itskowitz, primary care specialist at Allegheny Health Network. "I'm interested to see where this goes."

Still, Itskowitz is all for people getting vaccinations.

"If this will help them, I am OK with it," he said. "Uber has a reputation of being innovative and very successful, so I wouldn't discount what they are doing off the bat because it's new."

The shots are administered by nurses employed by Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Passport Health, which provides travel medications and immunizations across North America and has clinics in Pittsburgh.

"This is almost exactly the same as walking into a clinic," Passport spokesman Will Sowards told the Tribune-Review. "The only difference is, instead of coming to us, we are coming to you."

Sowards said the nurses provide standard consent forms before giving the shots. He said he's unsure of the financial implications of the project, adding that the focus is on flu vaccine outreach.

Last year, Passport participated in an Uber vaccine pilot program in Boston, Chicago and Washington. Sowards said they underestimated demand in Washington. On Thursday, 300 nurses will be available to administer shots across the cities involved.

"The biggest misconception out there is that Uber drivers are giving the vaccines," he said. "That's not the case."

John Brownstein, a researcher at Boston Children's Hospital and associate professor at Harvard Medical School, advised Uber about the project and helped publish the pilot program in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

"Convenience and delivery method are both key components of many people's decision of whether or not to get a flu shot," Uber wrote in a news release. "With (Brownstein's) guidance and expertise, we will be able to identify other ways we can leverage the Uber platform so we can drive to a healthier future."

The flu shot is covered as a preventive care benefit by all insurance plans, which led Itskowitz to wonder why people would pay for the Uber service.

"If money is a concern, this doesn't make sense financially for people," he said. "It's cost versus convenience, apparently."

The fee includes up to 10 shots, allowing a group to share in the cost.

Matt Michalko, 25, of Mt. Washington endorsed the Uber concept even though he doesn't usually get a flu shot.

"I like the idea of this service because it allows the flu shot to be that much more accessible," he said. "Will people use it? I'm not sure. That is a challenge left up to how it's marketed."

Thomas Skinner, a spokesman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the federal agency does not endorse specific companies.

"But CDC is definitely a proponent of people getting vaccinated against flu," he said. "It's the single most important step one can take to protect themselves."

Ben Schmitt is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-320-7991 or bschmitt@tribweb.com.

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