Amazon offers to help with Covid-19 vaccine effort

[SAN FRANCISCO] Tech colossus Amazon on Wednesday offered to put its vast operation to work helping President Joe Biden get 100 million Americans vaccinated against Covid-19 in the next 100 days.

Chief of Amazon's worldwide consumer business Dave Clark sent a letter to Biden urging that its workers get vaccinated as early as possible and offering to put the company's resources to work in the broader vaccination effort.

Amazon is the second largest employer in the US with more than 800,000 employees, most of whom are "essential workers" who can't do their jobs from home, according to a copy of the letter obtained by AFP.

The e-commerce giant has seen business boom during the pandemic as people staying home to avoid risk of getting Covid-19 resorted to shopping online and having items delivered.

"We are committed to assisting your administration's vaccination efforts as we work together to protect our employees and continue to provide essential services during the pandemic," read the letter.

Amazon has agreements in place with a health care provider to administer vaccines on-site at its facilities, including fulfillment centres, data centres, and Whole Foods Market grocery stores, according to Mr Clark.

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"We are prepared to move quickly once vaccines are available," Mr Clark said in the letter.

"Our scale allows us to make a meaningful impact immediately in the fight against Covid-19, and we stand ready to assist you in this effort."

Uber has also offered logistical assistance.

Chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi last month urged US states to make sure rideshare drivers get quick access to Covid-19 vaccines so they can help with broader distribution plans.

Mr Biden's top pandemic advisor Anthony Fauci said this week the new president's goal of seeing 100 million doses of coronavirus vaccine injected within his first 100 days in office is "absolutely" achievable.

AFP