Individuals eligible for the coronavirus vaccine can now use the online fitness membership platform ClassPass to search for vaccine centers near them, the company announced Wednesday.
Within the ClassPass app and website, members can find the most convenient vaccine location for them, along with information including hours of operation and contact information for nearby clinics.
Although the app doesn’t allow members to schedule a vaccine appointment, it provides details on how to schedule an appointment at each listed location.
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At launch, the vaccine search capabilities are available in Boston, Chicago and New York, but the company plans to expand into Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco in the near future.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The worldwide effort of distributing and administering COVID-19 vaccines requires new levels of cooperation between stakeholders, according to a Health Affairs report. This collaborative approach allows for rapid information sharing, innovative processes and more efficient use of resources.
Participating in the global vaccination effort is something every company should strive for, according to Jeff Bladt, the vice president of pricing and inventory at ClassPass.
“Using the ClassPass platform to connect members with vaccine centers is a natural extension of our technology and a way that we can contribute to curbing the spread of COVID-19,” he said in a statement.
“We have deep knowledge of how to help people find accurate and up-to-date information on local businesses after routing millions of users to fitness and wellness locations across 30 countries.”
THE LARGER TREND
While the beginning of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout was critiqued for being too slow, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that “terrific progress” has been made over recent weeks. As of February 11, about 34.7 million people have received at least one dose of the vaccine, which is 10.5% of the U.S. population, according to the CDC’s COVID Data Tracker Weekly Review.
A growing number of companies are developing tools to help vaccinate the public. Google has launched a number of initiatives, including a vaccine site search feature and its Intelligent Vaccine Impact solution. Buoy Health created a digital dashboard for employers to gauge their workers interest in getting vaccinated as well as to share educational material. Zocdoc and Notable Health have each released vaccine administration support tools.
Early last year, ClassPass announced it had reached a company valuation of $1 billion after the completion of a $285 million Series E investment round.