A man is waiting for pharmacist Joe Borge in Danvers, MA on Feb. 1, 2021. On the first day of Phase 2 of the COVID-19 rollout, seniors 75 and older will be vaccinated at Walgreens Pharmacy, at 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 Covid-19 vaccine. They announced on Tuesday that Uber will offer free rides to Walgreens stores and clinics for those who book an appointment and live in disadvantaged parts of the country.
The pilot program will start in Chicago, Atlanta, Houston and El Paso. A Walgreens spokeswoman said free rides will be offered in Atlanta next week and then expanded to the other cities.
The partnership is part of a pledge Uber made in December to offer 10 million free or discounted rides to ensure transportation doesn’t stop people from getting the Covid vaccine. Once a person has a confirmed appointment at Walgreens or an outside clinic run by the company, he or she will receive an email with an offer to schedule a free ride.
Walgreens, the country’s second-largest pharmacy chain, is set to play a bigger role in the rollout of the Covid vaccine later this week. Vaccines will be given from Friday to priority groups, such as elderly Americans or those with pre-existing medical conditions, in some stores in 15 states and two jurisdictions, Chicago and New York City.
Biden’s government announced last week that it would start sending direct shipments of doses to about 6,500 stores across the country. It plans to eventually expand that program to 40,000 pharmacies.
So far, the roll-out of vaccines has been delayed due to limited supply. It also reflected wider health inequalities. According to a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the majority of the nearly 13 million people who received at least one injection of a Covid vaccine in the first month of distribution were older, white, and female. Many vaccination sites have relied on online systems, which can be complicated to navigate for older Americans or out of reach for those who don’t have a cell phone or reliable Internet access.
Covid has taken a disproportionate toll on black Americans. According to data collected by the COVID Tracking Project, which is run by journalists from The Atlantic, black Americans have died of Covid one and a half times as often as white people.
Walgreens and Uber said they plan to collaborate in other ways as well. Uber said it will add in-app features that will make it easier for Uber drivers, delivery drivers and freight workers to book a vaccine appointment when they are more widely available. The companies, together with the National Urban League, are developing an educational program to reduce hesitation about vaccines.