Uber's new policy to ask riders to provide mask selfies

Mask slackers will now have to provide photographic proof they're wearing a face covering before boarding an Uber.

The San Francisco-based company unveiled a new policy on Tuesday stipulating that if a driver reports to Uber that a rider wasn't wearing a mask, the rider will have to take a selfie with one strapped on the next time they summon a driver on the world's largest ride-hailing service.

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The mask verification rules expand upon a similar requirement that Uber imposed on its drivers in May to help reassure passengers worried about being exposed to the novel coronavirus that has upended the society.

Now, Uber believes it's time to help make its drivers feel safer, too.

The requirement will roll out in the US and Canada later this month before coming to other parts of the world.

The additional safety measures are part of Uber's ongoing efforts to rebuild a service that has seen ridership plunge this year.

People have been seeking to minimise the chances of becoming sick and and also have had fewer reasons to go anywhere, with offices, bars, restaurants, and nightclubs closed through much of the US and other parts of the world.

The adverse conditions caused the number of trips on Uber during its most recent quarter to plunge by 56 percent from the previous year.

Earlier in April, Uber announced a partnership with Medlife, a Bengaluru-based e-health platform, to provide residents across Kolkata, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, and Pune access to prescription and other over-the-counter medicines, amid the ongoing national lockdown.

The company said in a release that it is leveraging its technology and vast network of delivery partners to support Medlife in delivering medicines safely to consumers’ doorsteps so they can continue to observe government guidelines for reducing the spread of COVID-19. 

(Disclaimer: Additional background information has been added to this PTI copy for context)