Uber and Walgreens on Tuesday announced they will join forces to offer communities of color free rides to vaccination sites. The pandemic has disproportionately affected Black and Hispanic people, and initial vaccination data already shows that people of color are being vaccinated at lower rates than white people. People of color also tend to have fewer pharmacies per capita and are also less likely to say that they have been vaccinated or know someone who has. Walgreens and Uber’s initiative will “make it easier to connect people with vaccine appointments, and [offer] free transportation to Walgreens vaccine clinics among socially vulnerable communities.” Both companies will work with the National Urban League to offer education programs to address vaccine hesitancy. People will be able to schedule rides via the Uber app once they have a vaccination appointment.
