You can now buy a Covid-19 test just like you would a can of Coke or a bag of M&M’s. | WELLNESS 4 HUMANITY

This Company Is Rolling Out Covid Test Vending Machines In Airports, Hotels, Subways And More

2021-02-01

FORBES EDITORS’ PICK | Feb 1, 2021 @ 09:14am EST
Suzanne Rowan Kelleher | Forbes Staff

You can now buy a Covid-19 test at Oakland International Airport just like you would a can of Coke or a bag of M&M’s. For less than a week, black-and-white vending machines in each of the airport’s terminals have been dispensing RT-PCR saliva tests that have been approved under the FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).

For travelers, this is good timing. Right now, airline passengers are not required to show a negative Covid-19 test before boarding a domestic flight, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is apparently considering it. “We are actively looking at it,” said Martin Cetron, director of the CDC’s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, on a call with reporters last week.

Wellness 4 Humanity, the company behind the DIY-test vending machines, is currently in discussions with other major airports across the country, including at Harrisburg International Airport in Pennsylvania. The company also has partnerships with Marriott, IHG Hotels & Resorts and a slew of other organizations, including professional sports teams like the Atlanta Hawks.

Like many U.S. airports, Oakland airport has been offering curbside testing for several months. “We realized that travelers are going through a tough time right now, especially as we all navigate this COVID pandemic,” an Oakland airport spokesman told the Los Angeles Times. “We wanted to give travelers another option for testing.”

For Wellness 4 Humanity, the goal is to roll out 1,000 of its “automated stores,” also known as vending machines, throughout the U.S. in the coming months. Future locations will include subway stations, entertainment venues and more hotels and airports, as well as college campuses, grocery stores, and shopping malls.

“These vending machines are a significant milestone in helping to provide Americans with easier access to fast, highly accurate Covid-19 testing,” said Lian Nguyen Pham, CEO and co-founder of Wellness 4 Humanity. “We’ve seen similar vending machines placed in highly populated, highly trafficked areas of Hong Kong and the United Kingdom to help contain the spread of the virus and, given the surge in cases the U.S. is currently experiencing, we hope to roll out our vending machines as soon as possible.”

Wellness 4 Humanity’s vending machines make the tests available through contactless purchase and payment on a mobile device.

As of now, the vending machines sell only a saliva RT-PCR test kit, which requires sending your sample to a partner lab using a prepaid FedEx shipping label. Customers receive their results within 48 hours with 99% accuracy. Results are sent to customers via the TRUSTPASS app. The saliva test sells for about $150.

At a later date, a slightly cheaper rapid antigen test kit will also be available. The antigen test sells for about $120 and provides results in just 15 minutes, with no shipping, lab work or app download required. Wellness 4 Humanity says this test has 97.4% accuracy and 100% specificity, meaning false negatives are unlikely.

The testing kit vending machines were developed in partnership with San Francisco-based Swyft, Inc., a software and technology services company that works with retailers and brands. Swyft had previously partnered with New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority to place PPE-dispensing vending machines in 10 subway stations throughout the city. Other major clients include CVS Pharmacy, 7-Eleven, and Best Buy.

Wellness 4 Humanity says travelers can soon expect to see these vending machines popping up in major cities across the U.S., from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Boston and Dallas.

Starting this week, for example, New York City residents and visitors will be able to buy Covid tests out of two vending machines at a brick-and-mortar Wellness 4 Humanity location in at 225 West 34th Street in midtown Manhattan, just a block from Penn Station.

If your local airport, train station or hotel wants a vending machine, $15,000 buys a six-month lease, including delivery, set up, software integration, and full stocking of the vending machine with the test kits.

But be prepared to take a number, though. According to Wellness 4 Humanity’s website, the vending machines are currently sold out.

• • •
Enhancing the quality of life
in the communities we serve

Raphael Bemporad

BBMG

“Designing Regenerative Brands”

How brands can meet Gen Z aspirations and shift culture for a flourishing future

• • •
As Founding Partner of BBMG, Raphael unites branding, sustainability and innovation to help organizations create sustainable growth and positive impact in the world.

An expert in brand strategy, public affairs and social innovation, Raphael is a passionate champion for a new approach to branding that’s driven by empathy, collaboration, shared values and mutual relationships.

He has directed branding and marketing programs for clients such as AWAY Travel, CLIF Bar, Eileen Fisher, Estée Lauder Companies, Johnson & Johnson, MAC Cosmetics, Macy’s, Inc., Nike, Nespresso, Target, The North Face and Walmart. He has also worked with many leading nonprofits including ASPCA, Education Reimagined, Giffords, OceanX, PBS, Rainforest Alliance and Urban Teachers, as well as the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Einhorn Collaborative, Ford Foundation, Kresge Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Raphael has an extensive background in political communications, getting his start as a press aide to Texas Governor Ann W. Richards. He also served as communications director for Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) and as press secretary for U.S. Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin).

Raphael received his BA in Philosophy with honors from the University of Texas at Austin. He currently serves as an adjunct professor of marketing and communications at the NYU Stern School of Business, and he sits on the advisory boards of Sustainable Brands, the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business and Earth Guardians.

Greg Lindsay

“The Way We’ll Live Next”

• • •
Greg Lindsay is an urban tech fellow at Cornell Tech’s Jacobs Institute, where he explores AI and augmented reality (AR) at city scale. He is also a senior fellow of MIT’s Future Urban Collectives Lab, a senior advisor to Climate Alpha, and a non-resident senior fellow of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Strategy Initiative.

He’s advised organizations such as Intel, Samsung, IKEA, Starbucks, Audi, Hyundai, Tishman Speyer, André Balazs Properties, Emaar, and Expo 2020, along with numerous G20 government entities. He was previously the urbanist-in-residence at URBAN-X — BMW MINI’s urban tech accelerator — the director of applied research at NewCities, and founding director of strategy at its mobility-focused offshoot CoMotion.

He speaks frequently about cities, mobility, innovation, and globalization, including appearances at 10 Downing Street, the United States Military Academy, Sandia National Laboratories, the OECD, Harvard Business School, the MIT Media Lab, and the Aspen Ideas Festival. He’s been cited as an expert on the future of cities, technology, and mobility by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, USA Today, CNN, NPR, and the BBC. He is co-author of the 2011 critically acclaimed international bestseller Aerotropolis: The Way We’ll Live Next.

Greg is a two-time Jeopardy! champion (and the only human to go undefeated against IBM’s Watson).

Ross Cromartie

RBA

“Digital Marketing”

• • •
Ross heads up RBA, where he transitioned from private equity to the creative side of the business finding his passion creating Work That Wins™ for notable clients such as Golden Chick, CBRE, JLL, TAC Air, Swiss American, Southern Land Company, Harwood, TopGolf, FanDuel, and more.

Outside of the office, Ross spends time with his family, practices martial arts and Tai Chi, takes photos, flies drones, plays video games, and travels the world.

Case Kenny

New Mindset, Who Dis?

“The Power of Mindfulness & Journaling”

• • •
Case Kenny is an entrepreneur, mindfulness expert, host and founder of the top 25 Apple podcast New Mindset, Who Dis. Beloved by some of today’s biggest celebrities including Hailey Bieber, Viola Davis, Sophia Bush, John Cena, and Lucy Hale and featured on Good Morning America, you might recognize him from his viral coffee cup and post-it quotes on Instagram, which have been shared by millions and featured by The Today Show, Complex, Forbes, Women’s Health, Cosmopolitan, and many more.

Created in 2018, Kenny’s podcast New Mindset, Who Dis features his short, no-B.S.take on all things mindfulness in a relatable way, empowering people to be happier and live more fulfilling lives by changing their mindsets in all areas of life spanning from self worth + empowerment to dating + relationships, career advice and more. The podcast has received over 6,000 5-star reviews and accolades such as Spotify Editor’s Choice, iHeart Radio Top 10 Health, Deezer and Stitcher Radio Editor’s Choice and others, and has held a position as a top 25 podcast on both the Apple Podcasts and Spotify charts for the past 3 years.

As part of the podcast, Kenny also produces special “music x mindfulness” episodes, where he collaborates with top artists + DJs including Martin Garrix, Gryffin, Two Friends, Cheat Codes, Frank Walker + Sam Feldt to bring mindfulness to life in an energizing and unique way for listeners.

Kenny is also the creator of the best-selling mindfulness journals The New Mindset Journal, But First, Inner Peace, Unbothered and Single Is Your Superpower, and digital journals including Closure and Clarity. He is also the author of That’s Bold of You.

Listen to New Mindset, Who Dis on all streaming platforms or visit newmindsetwhodis.com for more.

For the latest news and information, follow Case Kenny on Instagram @case.kenny.

Rod Santomassimo

The Massimo Group

“Artificial Intelligence & CRE Brokerage
The Time is Now”

• • •
Rod Santomassimo is the founder and president of the Massimo Group, CRE Perform, and CRE Investor. Coach.
 


The Massimo Group is the world’s #1 commercial real estate broker coaching organization, assisting over 4,200 CRE professionals in building the businesses and lives they desire.
 


The author of four best-selling books – Brokers Who Dominate, Teams Built to Dominate, and Knowing Isn’t Doing, which became America’s #1 sales book when it launched.  His most recent book, Dominators of Commercial Real Estate Brokerage

 

A graduate of Washington and Lee University, Rod earned his MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, where he is a two-time recipient of the Duke University Fuqua School of Business Impact Alumni of the Year Award; Globe St. has also designated him as a “Best Boss” in CRE.
 


Rod has been published and/or featured in several general business periodicals, including but not limited to Entrepreneur.com, The Good Men Project, Thrive Global, and the New York Real Estate Journal. In addition, he is CCIM and a patented inventor.
 


Rod has recently been recognized as the “CREAI Guy” as he has shifted his focus to integrating artificial intelligence to accelerate CRE brokerage success within Massimo’s coaching programs.

Rand Stagen

Stagen Leadership Academy

“Finding Higher Ground”

• • •
Rand Stagen is the CEO of the Stagen Leadership Academy. Established in 1999, the Academy trains leaders from across North America who are committed to long-term personal development and using their organizational platforms for positive impact. Prior to founding Stagen, Rand was a co-founder and Group Publisher of Presido Media, a publisher of newspapers and magazines in the Southwest.

A passionate advocate for elevating humanity through business, he is a co-founder and global board member of Conscious Capitalism. Rand is also a board member of the Institute for Cultural Evolution, a think tank developing solutions to overcome the hyper polarization that threatens American democracy. A sought-after resource within YPO, he has been delivering programs at the chapter, regional, and international level (including multiple Global Leadership Conferences) for almost two decades. He lives in Dallas with his wife and two daughters.

Legacy Food Hall

7800 Windrose Ave., Plano, TX 75024

A culinary and entertainment destination inspired by the local community. At Legacy Food Hall, you won’t just find a little bit of everything. You’ll find a lot of everything. Celebrated local chefs and restaurateurs source the highest quality ingredients for more than 20 eateries and multiple craft bars. With carefully curated menus inspired by cultures from around the globe, it’s a culinary experience that’s out of this world. Shake things up with a stirring array of craft cocktails and delicious libations. Sip and savor at two large cocktail bars, an intimate wine bar, and an award-winning craft brewery that can make any hour a happy one. Legacy Food Hall may be called a food hall, but the menu doesn’t stop there. It’s almost too easy to find yourself drawn into the Lexus Box Garden for live bands, sporting events, dancing, movies, and more. It literally sets the stage for an incredible experience.

Le Méridien Dallas, The Stoneleigh

2927 Maple Ave, Dallas, TX 75201

Evoke the era of glamorous travel at our hotel in Dallas, where classic style and modern elegance are juxtaposed in a chic Uptown location. Our historic, 1923 Art Deco building and Uptown Dallas hotel suites are steps from business, museums, boutique shopping, cutting-edge cuisine, and stimulating nightlife. Our onsite Perle on Maple Restaurant serves innovative dishes that showcase inspiring cuisine with a distinctive Texas twist. Dallas meetings and events are hosted with flair in 7,000 square feet of ballroom venues in Dallas, TX, including Dorothy Draper-designed spaces. Each of our 176 guest rooms and suites feature warm cinnabar-and-charcoal color palettes, modern amenities, custom mahogany, and marble-topped furniture. In your downtime, relax at our outdoor pool.

MARRIOTT UPTOWN DALLAS

3033 Fairmount St, Dallas, TX 75201

The Marriott Dallas Uptown offers personalized service, thoughtful amenities and an unbeatable location less than two miles from the Dallas Arts District. Walk from our hotel to trendy restaurants and the scenic Katy Trail, Dallas’s most active biking and pedestrian trail. We’re also close to over five million square feet of Dallas’s best office space. Love Field Airport and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport are within easy reach. Recharge in our rooftop outdoor pool and fully equipped fitness center before indulging in delicious cuisine at our chic restaurant and bar. Unwind after a busy day in Dallas in thoughtfully designed hotel rooms and suites offering plush bedding and homelike perks. Host a meeting in one of our six event venues, which feature advanced audiovisual technology, or plan an unforgettable event on our 14th-floor rooftop event space with 360-degree views of Dallas.