|
 The company, in a letter to the CDC's Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practices, said its drivers provided critical
transportation for essential workers and allowed others to stay home
and order food.
"Early access to a vaccine would help drivers and delivery people
continue to play their essential role while also reducing the risk
that they may inadvertently contract, or possibly transmit, the
virus," said the letter, signed by Uber's head of federal affairs,
Danielle Burr.
The letter comes as several industry groups, including in the food
production, agricultural, consumer goods and trucking industry, are
asking officials to prioritize their workers for early vaccine
distribution.
U.S. government officials have said that up to 20 million people
could be vaccinated by the end of 2020, but that it would take until
the middle of 2021 for most Americans to gain access to effective
inoculation.
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The CDC Advisory Committee is drafting recommendations for who should be
prioritized for distribution, and on Tuesday said healthcare personnel and
residents of long-term care facilities should receive the vaccine first.
https://bit.ly/39Ke1xh
A U.S. government agency in August included ride-hail, taxi, delivery and car
rental services in a list of essential critical infrastructure workers that also
included more than 300 other job categories. https://bit.ly/36E1cmf
(Reporting by Tina Bellon in New York; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Gerry Doyle)
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