Instacart gives shoppers free COVID-19 screenings, telehealth: 5 details

Instacart, a national online grocery company, partnered with Doctor On Demand to provide free COVID-19 screenings and virtual medical consultations to its shoppers.

Five things to know:

1. Instacart shoppers now have free access to COVID-19 screenings due to the partnership. The company also rolled out a new policy asking shoppers and customers to wear face masks to stem the spread of the virus.

2. Instacart and Doctor on Demand piloted a program in Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., this summer allowing shoppers who experience COVID-19 to take an online assessment to determine whether to seek additional medical attention. Based on the results, shoppers gained access to a free telemedicine appointment with Doctor on Demand clinicians.

3. Instacart is covering the cost of the telemedicine visit for shoppers, and shoppers who test positive for COVID-19 can receive up to 14 days of extended pay to recover.

4. Beginning next week, shoppers and customers will receive in-app messages that include safety steps, and shoppers who need masks can order free health and safety kits that include a multilayer face mask and a bottle of alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

5. Instacart has invested $20 million to support shopper safety since the pandemic began and shipped around 450,000 health and safety kits to date.

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