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US President Joe Biden and his administration highlighted new programs from ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft to provide free rides to and from vaccination sites. The pace of shots declines nationally and he looks to meet his July Fourth inoculation targets. President Biden posted a statement on Twitter and said, “We’re working hard to ensure transportation is less of a barrier when it comes to getting a COVID-19 vaccine. And I’m excited to share that starting May 24th, Uber and Lyft will offer everyone in America free rides to vaccination sites”. The partnership with the ride-sharing companies marked the latest in a series of government-encouraged efforts to increase access to shots. The move came after President Biden virtually met with a bipartisan group of governors to share best practices for encouraging Americans to get vaccinated.

Biden issued a statement about the partnership with ride-sharing companies. He said, “I think that’s really stepping up. We have to make it easier and more convenient for all Americans to get vaccinated”. President Biden also said that he met with Republican Governors including Spencer Cox of Utah, Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, and Mike DeWine from Ohio. Biden also met with Democrat Governors including Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, Janet Mills of Maine, and Tim Walz of Minnesota. He announced new funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency for community outreach efforts to encourage Americans to get vaccinated, as well as a new initiative to host federally supported vaccination sites at community colleges. Biden’s meeting came a week after he set a new target of delivering at least one dose of vaccine to 70% American adults.

The co-founder and president of Lyft, John Zimmer issued a statement and said, “The vaccine is the key to getting us all moving again and we’re proud to do our part to move the country forward. We’ve always believed transportation has the power to improve people’s lives, and this initiative makes that truer than ever. We’re grateful to the Biden Administration for prioritizing access”. The CDC said the vaccination rate of the nation has dramatically slowed in recent weeks. The agency added that an average of about 730,000 Americans is getting their first dose of vaccine daily, down from a peak of more than 1.9 million per day a month ago. It is noteworthy that scientists and public health experts believe that herd immunity can’t be reached in the US due to a sudden drop in Covid-19 vaccination rates.