You can book COVID-19 vaccine appointment through Uber app now
Uber will let its customers schedule COVID-19 vaccine appointments through its app at nearby Walgreens Pharmacies in the United States, a program stressing on the importance of inoculations to the ride-hailing business.
While you book a shot through the app starting this Wednesday, customers can now schedule the travel to and from the pharmacy center. The app will do the same for a follow-up appointment at Walgreens locations, in case two shots of vaccine requirements.
Together with @PayPal and @Walgreens, we’re helping underserved and vulnerable communities get to vaccine sites. You can help too.
— Uber (@Uber) April 13, 2021
Such steps extends on an existing facility between the nation’s largest app facilitating for rides and the second-largest pharmacy chain. Uber and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. together began offering free and discounted rides to Walgreens vaccine clinics, targeting to vaccinate essential health workers and accelerate the distribution flow. Uber was seen doing the similar program for some drivers in Puerto Rico last month.
This pandemic decimated ride demand over the elongated period of time. Recent weeks, these numbers have begun to rise up again as vaccination rates have increased and activities are returning to normal again. Around a billion of dose have been given globally and around 230 million of them are done in United States, reported the Bloomberg Vaccine Tracker.
Lyft Inc, US second largest ride hailing provider, last year said it would be providing around 60 million rides to and from the vaccination sites for those with low income, at-risk and uninsured communities, through an arrangement with companies like Anthem Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co. and United Way. Lyft was later seen partnering with CVS Health Corp. and the YMCA to access more people.
Uber reportedly refused to say about when it would facilitate vaccinations outside of the U.S. Sundeep Jain, the chief product officer, stated that India along with Brazil and other countries where Uber operates are currently facing severe outbreaks. “We are aggressively and actively working on partnerships outside of the United States,” Sundeep Jain shared.
