A man waits for pharmacist Joe Borge in Danvers, MA on February 1, 2021. On the first day of Phase 2 of the launch of COVID-19, elderly people, 75 years and older, are vaccinated at Walgreens Pharmacy, 107 High Street, in Danvers.
Pat Greenhouse | Boston Globe | Getty Images
Walgreens and Uber are teaming up to make it easier for people who don’t have a car or pharmacy nearby to get a vaccine against Covid-19. They announced on Tuesday that Uber will offer free rides to Walgreens stores and clinics for those who make an appointment and live in underserved parts of the country.
The pilot program will begin in Chicago, Atlanta, Houston and El Paso. A Walgreens spokeswoman said free travel would be offered as early as next week in Atlanta and then expanded to other cities.
The partnership is part of a promise made by Uber in December to offer 10 million free or discounted trips to ensure that transportation does not prevent people from receiving the Covid vaccine. When a person has a confirmed appointment at Walgreens or at an outside clinic run by the company, they will receive an email with an offer to schedule a free trip.
Walgreens, the country’s second-largest pharmacy chain, will have an expanded role in launching the Covid vaccine later this week. From Friday, will give vaccines for priority groups, such as older Americans or those with pre-existing medical conditions, in some stores in 15 states and two jurisdictions, Chicago and New York.
The Biden government announced last week that it would start sending direct doses of doses to about 6,500 retail stores across the country. She plans to expand this program to 40,000 pharmacies.
So far, the vaccine’s launch has been delayed by limited supply. It also reflected broader health inequities. Most of the nearly 13 million people who received at least one injection of the Covid vaccine in the first month of distribution were older, white and women, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many vaccine sites have online systems, which can be tricky to navigate for older Americans or inaccessible to people who don’t have a cell phone or reliable Internet access.
Covid had a disproportionate impact on black Americans. American blacks died of Covid at 1.5 times the white rate, according to data compiled by the COVID Tracking Project, which is run by journalists at The Atlantic.
Walgreens and Uber said they plan to work together in other ways as well. Uber said it will add features to the app that will make it easier for Uber drivers, delivery personnel and cargo workers to schedule a vaccination appointment when they become more widely available. Companies are developing an educational program with the National Urban League to reduce vaccine hesitation.