A man is waiting for pharmacist Joe Borge in Danvers, MA, on February 1, 2021. On the first day of phase 2 of the rollout of COVID-19, elderly people, 75 years and older, are vaccinated at the Walgreens pharmacy in 107 High Street, in Danvers.
Pat Greenhouse | Boston Globe | Getty Images
Walgreens and Uber are working together to make it easier for people who do not have a car or pharmacy to get a Covid-19 vaccine. They announced Tuesday that Uber will offer free rides to Walgreens stores and clinics for those booking an appointment and living in underserved parts of the country.
The pilot program will begin in Chicago, Atlanta, Houston and El Paso. A Walgreens spokesman said free rides would be offered in Atlanta as early as next week and would then expand to other cities.
The partnership is part of a promise Uber made in December to offer 10 million free or discounted rides to ensure transport does not hinder the Covid vaccine. Once a confirmed appointment at Walgreens or a clinic run by the business, he or she receives an email with an offer to plan a free ride.
Walgreens, the country’s second largest pharmacy chain, will play an extensive role in Covid vaccine development later this week. From Friday it will give vaccines to priority groups, such as older Americans or those who already have medical conditions, at some stores in 15 states and two jurisdictions, Chicago and New York City.
The Biden administration announced last week that it would ship direct doses to approximately 6,500 retail stores nationwide. It is planned to eventually expand the program to 40,000 pharmacies.
So far, the rollout of vaccines has been delayed by limited supply. It also reflected broader inequalities in health care. According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the majority of the nearly 13 million people who gave at least one shot of a Covid vaccine within the first month of distribution. Many vaccine websites rely on online systems, which can be complicated to navigate to older Americans or out of reach for people who do not have a cell phone or reliable Internet access.
Covid took an excessive toll on black Americans. Black Americans died 1.5 percent higher than whites from Covid, according to data compiled by the COVID Tracking Project, run by journalists at The Atlantic.
Walgreens and Uber said they also plan to work together in other ways. Uber said it will add features in the app that will make it easier for Uber drivers, delivery people and freight workers to book a vaccine appointment if it becomes more widely available. The companies are developing an educational program with the National Urban League to reduce vaccine hesitation.