With everyone panicking about the coronavirus – stocking up on water and toilet paper, staying in their homes, and making their own hand sanitizer out of Tito’s vodka – it makes sense that delivery companies would want to ensure they are taking extra precautions. If people aren’t leaving their homes, they’re bound to use those delivery services at some point.
DoorDash CEO and co-founder Tony Xu sent an email to customers Friday morning explaining what steps the company would be taking to ensure food is delivered safely.
“Beyond simply monitoring the situation, we are taking active measures to make sure the food that gets delivered to your home is safe and secure. In affected areas, we have begun distributing hand sanitizer and gloves to Dashers. In our app, we are testing enhanced drop-off options for customers and Dashers to more easily enable a no-contact delivery, which we’ll roll out in the coming days. Today, customers who prefer a no-contact delivery can make that request in the delivery instructions,” he wrote.
He continued, saying “The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have no reports of human illnesses that suggest COVID-19 can be transmitted by food or food packaging, but we remain vigilant in working with restaurants to ensure efficacy and safety remain the top priority.”
As for drivers who end up losing money due to increased demand, the company said it has introduced a COVID-19 Financial Assistance program, which would provide up to two weeks of financial assistance for drivers who test positive for the coronavirus and who must be quarantined. The service will be available for all employees in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, as well as Canada and Australia.
“Health and safety are all of our responsibilities. We encourage you to practice safety measures at home and when you’re out. Wash your hands with soap and water frequently, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or your elbow if you have to sneeze or cough, and please stay home if you are sick. Take measures to avoid unnecessary contact with large crowds and confined gatherings of people to help slow the spread of COVID-19,” Xu wrote.
The announcement from DoorDash came shortly before reports circulated that President Donald Trump was set to declare a national emergency over the coronavirus outbreak. Bloomberg News reported that Trump would invoke the Stafford Act “to open the door to more federal aid for states and municipalities, according to two people familiar with the matter.”
“The move would allow the government to martial additional resources to combat the virus, and also marks a symbolic turning point for the president, who has repeatedly compared the coronavirus to the seasonal flu and insisted that his administration had the outbreak under control,” the outlet added.
White House coronavirus expert Dr. Anthony Fauci tried to allay fears that the U.S. would shut down like China or Italy.
“I’m not sure we’re going to get to that. I think that would be really rather dramatic, but I can tell you that all things are on the table. We just have to respond as things evolve over the days and the weeks,” he said.