Lyft Preps Rides For 60 Million Low Income Americans To Covid-19 Vaccinations

When Covid-19 vaccinations are available to the broader public, Lyft’s ride share network will be prepared to transport 60 million low-income and uninsured Americans to vaccination sites.

Lyft has partnered with health insurance giant Anthem, JP Morgan Chase and the United Way among several other groups and companies to get Americans to and from Covid-19 vaccination sites.

“Making sure people can get to vaccination sites when they need to is mission critical to beating this virus,” Lyft co-founder and president, John Zimmer said. “This is an opportunity to use our collective strength to mobilize on a massive scale and serve our communities. We cannot let lack of transportation be a factor in determining whether people have access to healthcare.” 

Corporate partners will pay for the rides and national and local nonprofit partners will use the money to “distribute ride credits to members who need them most,” a Lyft spokeswoman said.

Other program partners include medical record giant Epic, the health insurer Centene, Modern Health, One Medical, National Hispanic Council on Aging, National Asian Pacific Center on Aging, National Urban League and the National Action Network.

Though vaccinations are currently focused on frontline healthcare workers and elderly in long-term care facilities, those involved in Lyft’s ride share campaign say it could last through spring 2021 or as long as it takes to make sure everyone who needs to be vaccinated has a way to get there. The first vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna were granted emergency use authorizations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration earlier this month.

“We estimate that 15 million Americans will face transportation issues trying to get to vaccination sites,” said Megan Callahan, vice president of Lyft Healthcare. “That’s where Lyft can make a difference.”