Uber Technologies Inc has quietly launched a service to give public health officials quick access to data on drivers and riders presumed to have ...
FILE PHOTO: An Uber driver in a surgical mask is seen in a mirror in the Manhattan borough, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease , in New York City, U.S., March 15, 2020. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon/File PhotoNEW YORK: Uber Technologies has quietly launched a service to give public health officials quick access to data on drivers and riders presumed to have come into contact with someone infected with COVID-19, company officials told Reuters.
Though Uber has provided the data for months now, it has not been put to use in many US virus hotspots. Uber has long provided data to US law enforcement officials in emergencies or criminal investigations, companies officials said. It first began to focus on health-related issues in 2019, when a resurgence of US measles cases prompted several health departments to request data, the officials said.
"Our timing ended up being beneficial in that it allowed us to get ahead before COVID started ramping up globally," said Sullivan, a veteran US prosecutor who leads a team of 100 Uber employees handling data requests around the clock. Using the new portal, designed for exclusive use by public health departments, data can be sought based on trip receipts or passenger names. Health officials are prompted to specify what action they want Uber to take as part of the service.
US contact tracing efforts vary from region to region. In some areas, the effort is coordinated on the state level, while cities or counties take charge in others, requests from health departments show.
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