Airbnb sent a letter to the Biden administration on Friday offering help in distributing the coronavirus vaccine, especially in rural communities.
The holiday rental company offered to identify homes that could be used as vaccine distribution sites in communities with limited access to health care facilities as launch efforts continue nationwide.
“These Airbnb ‘vaccine depots’ may be available where there are limited or no health care facilities or pharmacies, the so-called ‘health care deserts,'” Christopher Lehane wrote in the letter. senior vice president for global policy and communications at Airbnb.
In addition, the company offered to host traveling workers to distribute vaccines if they needed housing support.
The letter did not detail whether Airbnb’s “vaccine depots” or the houses used to house workers distributing the vaccine would be offered free of charge or at reduced rates.
A White House spokesman was not immediately available for comment in response to the Airbnb letter.
The offer follows Airbnb efforts launched last year as part of its Frontline Stays program to allow hosts to open their homes to front-line health workers responding to the coronavirus pandemic. The program allows healthcare workers to stay in Airbnb places closer to their place of work and to distance themselves from family members in their own homes for free or reduced rates.
President Biden unveiled his administration’s strategy to address the coronavirus pandemic on Thursday. The plan aims to vaccinate 100 million Americans in its first 100 days of office.
Amazon earlier this week sent a letter to Biden on its first day in office, also offering to assist the new administration with the distribution of the coronavirus vaccine. The e-commerce giant has offered to help by exploiting Amazon’s operations, information technology and communications capabilities.
Amazon has also again called on the government to give priority to key company employees in warehouses and data centers during vaccine launches.