The flu season is almost here and Discovery Health has once again partnered with Uber, Clicks and Dis-Chem to make it more convenient for South Africans to get vaccinated. On 2 May 2019, from 10:00 to 15:00, Uber will not only be taking people across cities but nurses with flu vaccinations will be available to administer flu shots at the homes and offices of all South Africans in the major Metro cities i.e. Johannesburg, Tshwane (Pretoria), Cape Town, Durban and Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth).

“The sooner you have a flu vaccination to build up antibodies against the virus strain, the better”, says Dr Ryan Noach of Discovery Health.

Nduduzo Nyanda, country manager for Uber South Africa explains that, “With the cold days already here, it’s important that we prioritise our health so that our busy schedules aren’t affected by the flu. Thanks to technology and our amazing partners, Uber will bring riders the opportunity to get their flu shots without leaving their homes or offices. All the convenience without any hassle to stay healthy this winter”.

There’s been a recent increase globally in vaccine-preventable diseases which has prompted the World Health Organisation to list “vaccine hesitancy” (the reluctance or refusal to vaccinate despite the availability of vaccines) as one of 10 global health threats in 2019. People are sometimes hesitant to vaccinate against the flu virus - but flu vaccination is an essential preventive action. Dr Noach, says, “Vaccinating against flu viruses is globally recognised as an effective way to prevent severe flu infections and flu related complications. Flu vaccines have been used to prevent flu infections since the 1950s and are safe and proven to offer a significant degree of protection against each year’s prominent flu strains. This is particularly important for at risk individuals too especially at extremes of age, and those with other underlying diseases.”

How to get the flu vaccination delivered to your doorstep on 2 May

1.Make sure you have the Uber app installed on your device or download Uber on the on the Apple App Store , Google Play Store or register for Uber at uber.com/app. Only people who are 18 years or older can use the Uber app.

2.From 10:00 to 15:00, open your Uber app

3.When you are ready to have the vaccination delivered, set your ‘pickup’ location

4.Then swipe right on your vehicle options to the “UberWELLNESS” option

5.The vaccine will be at no cost to you, you will only pay R100 to cover the cost of the trip when you request through the Uber app.

6.The nurse will bring the necessary consent forms and will administer the flu vaccine to a maximum of five people (at the flat rate of R100) at your location.

Standard Uber waiting times apply

When you have requested uberWELLNESS, be ready and available within the standard Uber waiting times. Demand will be high and riders are encouraged to be patient and keep on trying if Uber drivers are initially all occupied.

Dr Noach says, “We have seen large numbers of people vaccinated through this partnership in prior years. We urge everyone, especially high-risk individuals, to get the flu vaccine now, before the flu season starts, to enable their bodies to develop the antibodies necessary to ward off influenza viruses and to lower the rate of flu-related complications.” High-risk individuals include children younger than five, people older than 65, pregnant women, people living in care facilities, and anyone with a chronic health condition, such as asthma, heart or kidney disease, diabetes or a weakened immune system. Discovery Vitality members get 1 000 points for taking preventive action and getting vaccinated.

Additional information is available on the Discovery website at www.discovery.co.za