Forbes Piece on “Flu Near You” Campaign with Link to TP

Why Ebay Billionaire Jeff Skoll Is Backing The Flu NearYou Initiative

I was goaded into getting my first ever flu shot yesterday by a new email campaign called “Flu Near You.” I signed up for the initiative a couple of weeks ago. Every week I get an email with a link to a 2-question survey asking me if I have experienced any of about 10 symptoms (sore throat, aches, fever, etc.) and whether I have gotten the flu shot. I didn’t want to answer “no” to the second question yet again, so I popped over to Walgreens and got the shot, then replied to the survey.

Flu Near You was created by Healthmap of Boston Children’s Hospital, eBay billionaire Jeff Skoll’s nonprofit Skoll Global Threats Fund and the American Public Health Association. It’s free. It’s fast. Anyone age 13 or older in the U.S. can sign up. I also chose to report my children’s flu symptoms (or so far — lack thereof).