Pizzas, cinema tickets and free taxi rides: All the promotions young people will be offered if they get vaccinated

Young people are to be offered cheap taxi rides and takeaway discounts to boost Covid vaccination rates, it is understood.

Latest take-up figures suggest that 60 per cent of 18- to 25-year-olds have received at least one jab, but ministers are concerned that demand from younger age groups is levelling off and so wish to drive incentives to stop the spread of Covid.

Under the scheme, Uber will offer discounted rides and meals on Uber Eats for young adults who get the jab. Bolt will offer free ride credit to vaccination centres. Other incentives being discussed include vouchers or discount codes for people attending pop-up vaccine sites or booking through the NHS, social media competitions and promotional offers.

The Times reports it is understood the government has also been in discussions with the McDonald’s burger chain, Pizza Pilgrims, and Vue cinemas about offering discounts to those who get themselves jabbed. The Telegraph reports they are also negotiating shopping vouchers in supermarket chains like Aldi and Morrisons, and discounts for takeaway service Deliveroo.

“It really is, for us, just the right thing to do”, Gavin Smith, director at Pizza Pilgrims, told Sky News.

“If that is the difference for somebody, who is tight on time, to come and get their jab, then we’re happy to give them a slice of pizza when they’ve had their jab.”

A spokesperson from Deliveroo added: “We want to do our small part to support the NHS during the pandemic, including delivering a million free meals to frontline NHS staff and vaccine centres. This is the next step in helping people get vaccinated and safely back to normal.”

The UK is not the only place to consider incentives to combat vaccine hesitancy. In the US, President Joe Biden called for $100 payments to be offered to the newly vaccinated. Meanwhile, some states enter people into lotteries after they have been jabbed and Krispy Kreme dishes out free doughnuts.

Getting a jab just got even more appealing.