Renzo Downey
Uber is making a national push to secure COVID-19 vaccines early for Uber drivers and that includes extending its request to Florida and Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The rideshare giant argues its drivers are essential workers who should receive early access to the vaccine alongside others in public service industries, including transportation. In his Thursday letter to the Governor and Surgeon General Scott Rivkees, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi noted that public health experts have recognized rideshare drivers as frontline workers.
“After nine months on the frontlines keeping their communities running, we are asking governors in all 50 states to prioritize drivers and delivery people for early vaccine access,” he said in a statement. “Uber stands ready to do everything we can — leveraging our technology, our logistical expertise and our resources — to help protect the people working on our platform and bring vaccines to the public as quickly and efficiently as possible.”
The letter followed one recently sent to the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention asking that drivers and delivery people be included in Phase 1b of the vaccine distribution with other frontline workers in transportation, education, agriculture, utilities, firefighting and law enforcement.
Phase 1a will likely include health care personnel and longterm care facility residents. Phase 1c will likely include those medically predisposed to severe cases and those 65 years old and older.
Including taxi, rideshare, delivery and freight drivers in Phase 1b would align with Department of Homeland Security guidance on “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers.” National Academies of Sciences early COVID-19 framework also identifies passenger transportation and food delivery drivers as “Critical Workers in High-Risk Settings.”
“Over the last nine months, these workers have been a lifeline to their communities,” Khosrowshahi wrote. “They have transported healthcare workers to hospitals, delivered food to people socially distancing at home, and helped local restaurants stay in business. And while earlier this year Uber committed to funding 10 million free rides and deliveries for healthcare workers, seniors, and people in need, it was ultimately drivers and delivery people who made it happen.”
The CEO also noted that Uber could be a platform for distributing vaccine information. And for those without access to their own vehicles, Uber could help transport people to get vaccinated.
“This is particularly critical given the importance of ensuring people who receive a first round of the vaccine return for their second and final shot,” he said.
