ANKENY, Iowa — Meghan McConnville often faces a challenge that many families face—running short on time.
"I'm a working mother; I have four kids; my husband is a small business owner. So our schedules, on a good day, are a little crazy," McConville said.
When the CDC authorized a COVID-19 vaccine for her young kids, she wanted to get them vaccinated. Fitting that in, however, wasn't easy—until a friend recommended Vaxi Taxi.
"I hadn't heard anything of it before," McConville said.
Vaxi Taxi is a mobile pharmacy that provides all sorts of vaccines, including the COVID shot. The pharmacy comes right to a patient's doorstep.
"The fact that my kids were in their own space. they were comfortable, right? It was a no brainer for me," McConville said.
Ankeny mom, pharmacist, and Vaxi Taxi CEO Casey Villhauer started the company in 2020. Since then, she has been helping fill the gaps in vaccine access.
"We were doing a lot of flu appointments as like a concierge service for really busy families," Villhauer said. "And when COVID vaccine rolled out, we quickly pivoted to how can we help neighborhoods and people that really struggle with access."
Vaxi Taxi also offers pop-up clinics. That's where Sara Lupkes got her kids vaccinated on Friday.
"Getting the COVID vaccine for the kids here was a no brainer. It eliminated a lot of anxiety for the kids," Lupkes said.
Right now, Villhauer is looking to expand her services to areas outside metro.
"We are we're doing a whole bunch of families all at the same time parents and kids and catching everybody up on all their vaccines," she said.
McConville, meanwhile, said Vaxi Taxi is a go-to for her busy family.
"The best part is they'll come back and they're going to do the second shot for us as well, too," she said.
You can get more information about Vaxi Taxi and request an appointment at vaxitaxi.com or by calling 1-855-VAX-IOWA.
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