Lyft announced on Thursday that face masks will now become a mandatory staple for both drivers and passengers. The app will also make users and drivers confirm that they are both symptom-free and wearing a mask. Individuals who disagree with the new policy will subsequently be banned from the platform.
Lyft has been presented with the monumental task of digging itself out of a COVID-19 financial rut. By mid-April, the business plummeted by 75 percent. 17% of Lyft's workforce, about 1,000 people, was laid off as a result of the virus.
Lyft has spent millions on face masks and hand sanitizer to distribute to its drivers. Although driver hubs are currently shut down, the company is working to set up a variety of pop-up hubs to give masks to drivers via contactless handoff.
Drivers are also being asked to sanitize their vehicles often and to keep the windows down when possible to ensure appropriate air circulation. Passengers are no longer allowed to ride in the front seat of vehicles.
Uber is supposedly on the precipice of revealing its own face mask policy in the upcoming weeks, which CNN states may mirror Lyft in the technological aspect.