Uber and Deliveroo will offer young adults cheap food in exchange for a Covid vaccine - as a Pfizer booster is made available for over-50s and clinically vulnerable
Young adults will be lured into vaccination centres with the promise of cut-price taxis and takeaways, as Boris Johnson tries to tackle the relatively low take-up among the under-30s.
Uber, Deliveroo and Pizza Pilgrims are among the companies in discussion with the Government about offering incentives as part of the ‘Jab 18-30’ drive.
So far, only two-thirds of people in that age bracket in England have received a first dose since they became eligible in June, compared with 88.4 per cent across all age groups, meaning more than three million 18-to-30-year-olds remain unjabbed.
A person receives a dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech jab at a vaccination centre for young people and students at the Hunter Street Health Centre in London on June 5
Uber (file photo above), Deliveroo and Pizza Pilgrims are among the companies in discussion with the Government about offering incentives as part of the ‘Jab 18-30’ drive
As part of the plan, Uber will be sending out reminders to its users throughout this month and, along with rival ride-hailing app Bolt, will be offering discounts for under-30s in both cars and food takeaway services.
Other companies will be offering vouchers or discount codes for food and films if users can prove through the NHS app that they have had the jab.
The Government’s jab push will also include a booster shot for all the priority group of the over-50s and clinically vulnerable.
Unlike the first two jabs, everyone will receive Pfizer – because it is the most effective against the Indian, or Delta, variant.
Other companies will be offering vouchers or discount codes for food and films if users can prove through the NHS app that they have had the jab (file photo)
In other developments:
Health Secretary Sajid Javid, pictured above, who thanked the businesses 'stepping up to support this vaccine drive'
Last night Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: ‘Thank you to all the businesses who are stepping up to support this vaccine drive.
'Once available, please go out and take advantage of the discounts.’
A Deliveroo spokesman said: ‘We want to do our part. This is the next step in helping get people vaccinated and safely back to normal.’