Covid-19 in UAE: Uber to offer free rides for people seeking vaccination

Dubai - Riders will be able to avail two free Uber rides.

Uber announced that it is offering free rides to people looking to receive Covid-19 vaccination in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

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This is 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, of 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 move what matters, supporting 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.

People across Dubai and Abu Dhabi will easily 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.

Rifad Mahasneh, Uber 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.”

Uber has been working on several initiatives to curb its spread including the launch of Uber Medics to provide healthcare 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.

How to claim your ride:

1.Step 1: Click on URL link received through Uber Channel communication (SMS and Email)

2.Step 2: Tap on ‘Accept voucher’

3.Step 3: Voucher details will appear (expiration date, restricted geos list, etc)

4.Step 4: Voucher will appear on Wallet

5.Step 5: Navigate to the rides home screen and enter the pick-up/drop-off location for yourself or the person you are booking for. Remember, the trip must start or end at the vaccination centers listed.