Dubai: Ride-hailing service Uber on Wednesday said it is offering free rides to people looking to receive COVID-19 vaccination in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as part of its support for the UAE’s immunisation drive aimed at containing the spread of the virus.
Riders will be able to avail two free Uber rides, up to Dh60 each, to and from public vaccination centres in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The rides will be offered from June 22 to July 31 for people of all ages and nationalities.
The commitment comes as part of Uber’s global initiative to help communities, support public authorities and cities as they work to fight the spread of the pandemic. The initiative is fully supported by the Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai and the Integrated Transport Centre in Abu Dhabi as part of the national vaccination drive.
App-based service
People across Dubai and Abu Dhabi will be able to book trips to and from 97 centres using the Uber app. This includes a number of DHA centres in Dubai, the SEHA Vaccination Centre and other select centres in Abu Dhabi.
* Tap on ‘Accept voucher’
* Voucher details will appear (expiration date, restricted geos list, etc)
* Voucher will appear on Wallet
* Navigate to the rides home screen and enter the pickup/drop-off location for yourself or the person you are booking for. Remember, the trip must start or end at the vaccination centres listed.
Using tech for common good
Rifad Mahasneh, Uber’s general manager in the UAE, said: “We applaud the government’s efforts to vaccinate the community and we would like to do our part to support these efforts. Since the onset of the pandemic, we’ve been looking at how we can support our communities, prioritise their health and safety, and ultimately keep cities moving at a time when mobility has been severely impacted. The vaccination drive is part of the effort to leverage our technology to positively impact communities and support the government’s successful efforts in protecting the population against the virus.”
Other initiatives
Uber has been working on several initiatives, including the launch of ‘Uber Medics’ to provide health care workers with discounted trips to and from their workplace, advanced safety measures for both riders and drivers, financial assistance for drivers diagnosed with COVID-19 as well as in-app reminders for riders and drivers to follow advice from public health authorities.
