Kroger, Lyft partner on discounted rides to COVID-19 vaccine appointments
Kroger and Lyft are working together to help get patients to their COVID-19 vaccine appointments. Both companies’ respective healthcare arms are teaming up to offer discounted rides to and from COVID-19 vaccine appointments at Kroger banners.
Patients using Kroger’s online COVID-19 vaccine scheduler will receive a Lyft ride code with their appointment confirmation in certain markets. The code will provide $12 per ride.
“With only around 50% of the country fully vaccinated, our partnership with Lyft creates greater accessibility to the vaccine and helps remove transportation barriers. With the new Delta variant on the rise, it’s more important than ever that we push forward with our goals to achieve herd immunity and improve vaccine equity,” said Colleen Lindholz, president of Kroger Health. “Our Kroger Health practitioners have administered more than six million doses so far, and we’re committed to doing even more to help people live healthier lives and protect the communities we serve.”
Kroger Health said the partnership with Lyft will offer discounted rides in communities in Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Washington D.C., Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
“Making sure people can get to their vaccine appointment is critical to beating COVID-19, and we’re proud to partner with Kroger Health to help people across the country access reliable transportation,” said Megan Callahan, president of Lyft Healthcare. “Addressing the problem of transportation insecurity is our top priority, and this partnership only strengthens our ability to support equitable vaccine access in communities that need it most."
The Lyft partnership marks the latest effort from Kroger to encourage people to get vaccinated against COVID-19. In May, the Cincinnati-based retailer launched its #CommunityImmunity giveaway, which saw five people win $1 million and 50 winning free groceries for a year. It also has been offering walk-in appointments.
Similar to Kroger and Lyft working together, in February, Walgreens and Uber struck a deal that began as a pilot in Chicago, Atlanta, Houston and El Paso, Texas to offer free transportation to Walgreens stores and vaccination clinics. In April, the partnership expanded to add a vaccine appointment scheduling tool to the Uber app, allowing users to schedule their vaccination appointment at a local Walgreens and then schedule and Uber ride to the appointment.