Walgreens, Uber Team Up To Provide Free Rides For COVID Vaccines

ATLANTA, GA — Walgreens and Uber will team up in Atlanta to provide easier access to COVID-19 vaccines for underserved communities by providing free rides to stores offering shots.

The pharmacy chain and rideshare company announced their partnership Tuesday, with pilot programs to begin also in Chicago, Houston and El Paso, Texas.

“Transportation should never be a barrier to health care,” Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said Tuesday.

Walgreens and Uber will roll out several initiatives over the coming months as vaccines become available for mass distribution, including:

• Free transportation to Walgreens stores and offsite vaccine clinics.
• One-click access to pre-schedule Uber rides when a Walgreens vaccination appointment is made.
• New educational programs with the National Urban League to address vaccine hesitancy.

In December, Uber committed up to 10 million free or discounted rides to ensure that transportation isn’t an obstacle to getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Targeting communities hardest hit by the pandemic, Uber partnered with the National Urban League, National Action Network, and the Morehouse School of Medicine.

Walgreens was selected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week to administer COVID-19 vaccines in 15 states and jurisdictions under a federal program focusing on high-risk, socially vulnerable populations.

According to Walgreens, nearly 80 percent of the U.S. population lives within 5 miles of a Walgreens pharmacy. The company said it has recently mobile and off-site clinics to ensure the delivery of vaccines in underserved and rural areas. Additionally, more than 70 percent of Walgreens COVID-19 testing sites are in socially vulnerable areas.

Patch field editor Eric DeGrechie contributed to this article.