Uber, Discovery Health brings SA on-demand flu vaccinations for the winter

What do you get when you add on-demand lifting app Uber and South African insurance company Discovery Health? Free flu vaccines on 22 May 2015! Just kidding. They won’t be free but now that I have your attention, door-to-door flu vaccines and big Vitality points are a promise. On this chosen day (and only this day), Uber will run these deliveries with Discovery Health, allowing you — the awesomely lazy or busy bunch — to hunker down in your home until rescue arrives.

How to get your flu shot on demand:

Between 10am and 4pm on 22 May only, you will be able to request up to five flu vaccinations to your doorstep using the Uber app for only R100. Simply open your Uber application and toggle over to the red cross icon, set your pickup location, and request a ride as you normally would. Within minutes, a Discovery Health accredited nurse will arrive at your location, ready to administer flu vaccinations for up to five patients.

If you’re not yet an Uber user, sign up here and enter the promotional code, UBERHEALTHSA, and enjoy a free first ride up to R150.

Discovery accredited nurses will come equipped with a flu prevention pack, stocked with a few surprise items from Uber and Discovery to keep you healthy during the winter months.

On-demand everything!

I don’t know about you but I am loving this world domination brought to you by Uber. A bit of a corporate slut, really, but that’s part of business and growing up as a post US$4-billion conglomerate in the 21st century. There is a moment that springs to mind when I look at a company like Uber — it goes a little something like this: “Look, Uber, everything that the light touches, is your kingdom.”

We can take a look at the insane amount of partnerships that Uber is forging to create the most ridiculous on-demand services and delivery brand this world has ever seen. Uber seems to be testing their brand silly, with pop-up deliveries all over the world.

Feel your face, look in the mirror, gents if your mantastic beard needs removing, Uber a shave.

If you forgot about Mother’s Day, Uber an emergency makeover. Oh my God, aren’t you just dying for some vanilla cupcakes covered in hummus?! Uber the cupcakes. And I will Uber the hummus so we can have an Uber race.

As always, there’s another side to this story. Although this side of the story has been heard before. Just as the carpenters, builders and manufacturers learned back in the Industrial Revolution today’s taxi drivers — and soon to be anyone transporting anything — will have to adapt today.

Venture funding for the on-demand industry jumped to 79 deals in 2014, totalling US$4.12-billion, according to a new report by data analyst firm CB Insights. That’s up significantly from 13 investments in 2010, worth a combined US$57-million at the time. Overall, the industry has taken in US$9.4-billion since 2010, with deals growing more than 513% in just the last year alone. And what of this year? The firm said the deals struck in 2015 are on their way to double last year’s totals — 39 deals and US$3.78-billion have already been invested in sharing-economy apps so far this year.

Get excited! Get pumped! Get some ice cream, yes, even ice cream. Get thinking because next time you wonder why something doesn’t exist, draft up a business plan, put on your genius hat and take a look at some crowdfunding and startup websites.