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Harris Teeter, Lyft offer rides to pharmacy COVID-19 shots

Grocer targets underserved communities to improve vaccination rates

Russell Redman

July 21, 2021

2 Min Read
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Harris Teeter and Lyft noted that access to reliable transportation has been a key hurdle for people seeking COVID immunizations.Harris Teeter

Harris Teeter has teamed up with rideshare company Lyft to provide customers transportation to COVID-19 vaccination appointments at its pharmacies.

The Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern grocer said Wednesday that under the partnership with Lyft Healthcare, Lyft’s medical transportation arm, customers can access free and discounted rides in selected market areas in Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Washington, D.C., to a coronavirus shot at a Harris Teeter pharmacy.

After scheduling a COVID-19 vaccine appointment online at a participating Harris Teeter pharmacy, customers receive a Lyft ride code with their appointment confirmation. The code will cover about $12 per ride to and from the appointment for both one-dose (Johnson & Johnson) and two-dose (Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna) vaccines.

“Harris Teeter’s most urgent priority throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has been the health and safety of our shoppers and our valued associates,” Danna Robinson, communication manager for Harris Teeter, said in a statement. “We are immensely proud of the efforts our pharmacy teams have made to help reopen our communities through vaccination, and we are thrilled to enhance these efforts by partnering with Lyft to provide ride access to vaccine appointments in many of the areas where we operate stores.”

Related:Albertsons reaches 6 million COVID-19 vaccinations

Matthews, N.C.-based Harris Teeter noted that the Lyft rides are part of the Lyft Vaccine Access Program and bolster the grocer’s efforts to vaccinate the communities it serves, especially people in medically underserved areas.

“Access to reliable transportation represents a major barrier to care for millions of Americans across the country, especially for vulnerable communities,” according to Megan Callahan, vice president of health care for San Francisco-based Lyft. “We’re proud to partner with Harris Teeter to address transportation barriers that will support equitable vaccine access for those who need it most.”

Part of The Kroger Co., Harris Teeter operates about 260 supermarkets — more than half of which contain pharmacies — in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Maryland, Delaware, Florida and the District of Columbia.

Lyft describes Lyft Healthcare as one of the nation’s largest providers of non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) services, providing ride access to millions of patients who lack transportation. Its thousands of health care partners include nine of the top 10 NEMT managers, nine of the top 10 health systems, the top 10 health plans, large retail pharmacy chains and health care IT organizations, according to Lyft.

Related:Target funnels $5 million toward COVID-19 vaccine access

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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