COVID-19 vaccinations are rolling out around the United States, and Uber wants to help you get one. And then get back home again afterwards.
On Wednesday, April 28, the ride-hailing and food delivery company announced that it, in the U.S. at least, it is giving users an easy way to book their vaccine shot, and a ride to said vaccine appointment.
In doing so, it’s joining other tech companies such as YouTube and Twitter, which are also doing their part for the vaccine drive.
Vaccine at the Tap of a Button
In a blog post, Uber notes that:
According to experts, the best thing you can do to stay healthy and help end the pandemic is get vaccinated. We know that by making it easier to get to and from their appointments, more people will get vaccinated. So we’re partnering with Walgreens to make getting that shot as easy as booking a ride with Uber. Starting today nationwide, with just the tap of a button, you can reserve a vaccine as well as your ride there, all through your Uber app.
The offer builds on Uber’s previous work to, in its words, “expand access to the vaccine.” During the pandemic, Uber has offered 10 million free or discounted rides to help underserved and communities of color reach appointments. It has also launched the Vaccine Access Fund in association with Walgreens, PayPal, and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation. This is intended to donate additional free rides to those who require them.
Using the Uber app, vaccine candidates can reserve their vaccination, including selecting appointment times, and seeing which vaccine they will receive. According to Walgreens, coronavirus vaccinations are available at upward of 9,000 locations around the United States. That means that people shouldn’t have to travel too far to get one.
Uber Rent, Valet, and More
This is just one of several newly announced features from Uber. The company has also announced that Uber Rent is now available nationwide. This allows users to easily book rental cars from Avis, Budget, Hertz, and assorted other providers from inside the Uber app.
There is even a Valet option, in which rental cars are brought directly to your door (and picked up again at the other end) with “no rental car counters, no lines, no schlepping.” The Valet offering launches in Washington, D.C., in May, with nationwide expansion planned for later in the year.
Uber is additionally increasing the scope of its Uber Reserve feature, allowing customers to book rides in different cities 30 days in advance, and offering a new hourly feature for those who use UberX, who want to reserve their driver for longer periods of time.
This is on top of expanded Uber Eats features, like a Pickup and Go option that lets you buy food and drink on a journey in a for-hire Uber vehicle.