Lyft says it's exploring delivery of food and medical supplies amid the coronavirus outbreak

• Lyft is reportedly considering expanding its business into delivery of food and medical supplies amid the coronavirus outbreak.
• A Lyft spokesperson said the company is exploring ways to make "safe earning opportunities" available to contractors other than rideshare driving in a statement to Bloomberg.
• It would be the first time Lyft has offered food delivery on its platform, following in the steps of competitors like Uber.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Lyft is exploring the possibility of letting its drivers deliver food and medical supplies, a spokesperson told Bloomberg Tuesday.

Demand for delivery has surged amid the coronavirus outbreak. Companies across the US have transitioned to work from home in an attempt to slow the rate of infection, while cities including New York and San Francisco have ordered that restaurants cease sit-in service and allow only take-out or delivery.

A Lyft spokesperson told Bloomberg News that the company was looking to expand "safe earning opportunities" for its contractors other than rideshare driving. The company announced Tuesday that it would suspend pooled rides, as did its main competitor, Uber.

Lyft did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Rideshare drivers, like delivery workers, face a unique set of risks amid the COVID-19 outbreak - while their work demands that they come into contact with dozens of strangers daily, their status as contractors bars them from company-wide benefits like health insurance.

The shift to delivery would be a new venture for Lyft, which has historically only offered rideshare services even as Uber branched into food delivery in 2014.

Axel Springer, Insider Inc.'s parent company, is an investor in Uber.