US President Joe Biden, in a bid to incentivise getting vaccinated, has said that Uber and Lyft will give free rides, starting May 24, for those heading towards vaccination centres.
Burger chain McDonalds too, has announced that it is partnering with the White House to encourage vaccine-hesitant Americans by promoting vaccination information on their coffee cups.
Uber and Lyft will provide free rides to vaccine centres will July 4. This is part of Joe Biden’s initiative to get 70 per cent of the population to get at least one jab of the vaccine. McDonalds is due to unveil a billboard with vaccine information at Times Square, New York.
Health Secretary Xavier Becerra told the Guardian public-private partnership “will help more people make informed decisions about their health and learn about steps they can take to protect themselves and their communities”
“People will be able to simply select a vaccination site near them, follow simple directions to redeem their ride, and then get a ride to take them to and from a nearby vaccination site free of charge,” the White House said.
Biden met with governors of six states including Utah, Ohio and Maine to boost the vaccination drive including create vaccination sites at community colleges and send FEMA officials around the country. Official encountering vaccine-hesitant segments of the population have reported that vaccination rates in the US have slowed.
As per data from Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, as of Tuesday, 153 million Americans have received at least one shot of the vaccine. While in New York, officials are offering free railway and subway tickets along with vaccinations, Virginia governor Jim Justice said he would give a $100 savings bond to youngsters who got their jabs. The State of New Jersey is encouraging people to get vaccination shots by giving them a chance at getting a free beer once they get a jab—they can visit any participating brewery in the state through May.
