Uber and Walgreens are teaming up to help more people get COVID-19 vaccinations.
The ride-sharing service announced Wednesday that people can use the Uber app to both reserve a vaccination slot and book a ride to the location. The promotion is effective beginning today, April 28. Officials hope it will make the process of getting vaccinated easier for people who have been frustrated with the process so far. The partnership is part of a larger program Uber is launching, called Go Get.
Users will also be able to book rental cars from Avis, Hertz, Budget, and others via a feature called Uber Rent in the Uber app. Rental cars will be delivered to your doorstep (and returned from your home to the rental car company) by an Uber driver, saving customers the bother of fetching and retrieving them. The valet service will initially be available in Washington, D.C., starting next month. It will expand nationwide at a later date.
Another feature will let you place a pickup order from restaurants and other stores near your destination, letting you stop and get them along the way. You can also preorder delivery items if the store is closed.
Later this spring, Uber will roll out an option to order from two merchants close to each other without having to pay a separate delivery fee for each item.
Earlier this year, Uber pledged to give 10 million free or discounted rides in underserved communities and communities of color to people hoping to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The company is also working with Walgreens to operate a program allowing anyone to donate additional free rides to those in need.