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, the elderly, aged 75 and over, are vaccinated at Walgreens Pharmacy , at 107 High Street, in Danvers.
Greenhouse Pat | Boston Globe | Getty Images
Walgreens and Uber team up to provide the Covid-19 vaccine to people who don’t have a car or a nearby pharmacy. They announced Tuesday that Uber will offer free trips to Walgreens stores and clinics for those who book an appointment and live in parts of the country with little service.
The pilot program will begin in Chicago, Atlanta, Houston and El Paso. A Walgreens spokeswoman said free trips will be offered next week in Atlanta and then expanded to other cities.
The partnership is part of a promise Uber made in December to offer 10 million free or discounted trips to make sure transportation doesn’t stop people from getting the Covid vaccine. Once a person has a confirmed appointment at Walgreens or a company-run out-of-home clinic, they will receive an email with an offer to schedule a free trip.
Walgreens, the country’s second-largest pharmacy chain, will take on a broader role in launching the Covid vaccine later this week. From Friday he will give vaccines to priority groups, such as older Americans or those with pre-existing medical problems, in some stores in 15 states and two jurisdictions, Chicago and New York.
The Biden administration announced last week that it would begin shipping direct dose shipments to approximately 6,500 retail stores nationwide. It plans to expand this program to 40,000 pharmacies.
So far, the launch of the vaccine has been slowed by the limited supply. It has also reflected broader health inequalities. Most of the nearly 13 million people who received at least one vaccine against Covid during the first month of distribution were older, white, and female, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many vaccination sites have relied on online systems, which can be tricky to navigate for older Americans or out of reach of people who do not have a cell phone or reliable Internet access.
Covid has had a disproportionate toll for black Americans. According to data collected by the Atlantic-led COVID Tracking Project, black Americans have died of Covid at 1.5 times the rate of whites.
Walgreens and Uber said they also plan to work together in other ways. Uber said it will add built-in features to the app that will make it easier for Uber drivers, dealers and cargo workers to book an appointment to be vaccinated when they are most available. Companies are developing an educational program with the National Urban League to reduce hesitation.