The IDG Benefits Fund announced that it is now providing free flu shots to New York’s app-based and black car drivers throughout the months of November and December.
Drivers can sign up at driversbenefits.org/fluor call 1-855-979-1445 and redeem at any Rite Aid, many of which have convenient parking for drivers.
The free flu shot program is a new offering from IDG Benefits Fund, which also provides free vision and telemedicine coverage, as well as health screenings for New York’s app-based and black car drivers.
“Half a million New Yorkers ride with app-based and black car drivers every day and protecting drivers with free flu shots will strengthen the health and safety of riders and drivers alike,” said Andrew Greenblatt, executive director of IDG Benefits Fund. “A single driver can transport more than a dozen riders per day. A flu shot can help protect a driver from illness so that they can continue working, and it also can protect their family and their passengers.”
The IDG Benefits Fund is the sister organization to the Independent Drivers Guild, which represents and advocates for more than 70,000 app-based drivers in New York City.
“One of the most important things we hear from drivers is that they can’t afford to get sick,” added Greenblatt. “Any illness, whether its themselves or taking care of their family members, means they can’t work and puts their household in jeopardy. Providing free flu shots is another way we can help support working drivers while also protecting our communities.”
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) says that flu vaccination is the best protection against the flu, which usually begins in the fall and can continue through late spring. The CDC recommends annual influenza vaccination for everyone six months and older. Last year more than 48 million Americans got sick with the flu, the highest number of cases of influenza-associated illness since the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. The season also had high severity, with unusually high levels of hospitalization rates, as well as pneumonia and influenza-associated deaths.
