Uber asks U.S. CDC to view ride-sharing drivers as essential for COVID-19 vaccine distribution



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Uber Technologies Inc on Thursday asked the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to designate its transport and delivery drivers as essential non-health workers entitled to early distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The company, in a letter to the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, said its drivers provide essential transportation for essential workers and allow others to stay home and order food.

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“Early access to a vaccine would help drivers and delivery people continue to play their essential roles while reducing the risk of them inadvertently contracting, or possibly transmitting, the virus,” said the letter, signed by the business manager. Federal of Uber, Danielle Burr.

The letter comes as several industry groups, including the food production, agriculture, consumer goods and trucking industries, are asking officials to prioritize their workers for early vaccine distribution.

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U.S. government officials have said up to 20 million people could be vaccinated by the end of 2020, but it would take until mid-2021 for most Americans to have access to an effective vaccination.

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The CDC’s advisory committee is drafting recommendations on who should be given priority and said Tuesday that healthcare workers and residents of long-term care facilities should receive the vaccine first.

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In August, a U.S. government agency included ridesharing, taxi, delivery and car rental services on a list of critical infrastructure workers that also included more than 300 other job categories.

(Reporting by Tina Bellon in New York; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Gerry Doyle)

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