President Joe Biden has 32 days and 18 million people to go to meet his July 4 goal of having 70% of American adults at least partially vaccinated for COVID-19.
President Joe Biden is set to deliver a speech from the White House on Wednesday updating the nation on the vaccination rollout and his plans to have 70% of American adults vaccinated by July 4
As part of its efforts during to incentivize vaccinations, the White House has partnered with Anheuser-Busch to give drinking-age adults a free beer if the U.S. meets Biden’s 70% goal
The White House said Biden’s “month of action” will continue to use public and private-sector partnerships to encourage Americans to roll up their sleeves
To date 62.8% of the adult U.S. population have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 133.6 million are fully vaccinated
The president is set to deliver a speech from the White House on Wednesday updating the nation on the vaccination rollout and his plans to reach his goal as he tries to return the nation to a pre-pandemic sense of normalcy this summer.
As part of its efforts during to incentivize vaccinations, the White House has partnered with Anheuser-Busch to give drinking-age adults a free beer if the U.S. meets Biden’s 70% goal, the brewing company announced Wednesday morning.
The White House said Biden’s “Month of Action” will continue to use public and private-sector partnerships to encourage Americans to roll up their sleeves, drawing in businesses, social media influencers, colleges, celebrities and community organizations to help spread the word about the benefits of vaccination and to encourage them to get shots.
To date 62.8% of the adult U.S. population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 133.6 million are fully vaccinated. The rate of new vaccinations has slowed again to an average below 600,000 per day, down from more than 800,000 per day when incentives like lotteries were announced, and down from a peak of nearly 2 million per day in early April when demand for shots was much higher.
If the country reaches Biden’s goal, Americans can claim their free beer — in the form of a $5 virtual gift card — by visiting MyCooler.com/beer and uploading a photo of themselves in their favorite place to grab a beer — a bar, a restaurant, their own backyards, wherever.
Anheuser-Busch, the brewer behind brands such as Budweiser, Michelob, and Busch, says the “Let’s Grab a Beer” initiative is its biggest beer giveaway ever.
“At Anheuser-Busch, we are committed to supporting the safe and strong recovery of our nation and being able to be together again at the places and with the people we have missed so much,” said Anheuser-Busch CEO Michel Doukeris. “This commitment includes encouraging Americans to get vaccinated, and we are excited to buy Americans 21+ a round of beer when we reach the White House goal,” said Michel Doukeris, CEO, Anheuser-Busch.”
The promotion would last for seven days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirm the 70% number has been met or until all prizes have been claimed — The Associated Press reported it is capped at 200,000.
Anheuser-Busch is not the first major U.S. Company to offer incentives for vaccinations, although its campaign differs from most because it does not require participants to prove they have been inoculated.
Among other initiatives aimed at increasing vaccination rates, Krispy Kreme has offered free glazed doughnuts to anyone with a vaccination card, and United Airlines is entering customers into a contest for free airfare.
State governments have also gotten in on the action. Ohio, New York and California are among states giving out cash prizes. Some states are also giving out beer, scholarships and amusement park tickets. West Virginia announced Tuesday that it is giving away cash, trips and trucks, but also hunting rifles and shotguns.
Other incentives from businesses touted by the White House include a sweepstakes from CVS to win free cruises, tickets to Super Bowl LVI and cash prizes, Major League Baseball offering free tickets to people who get vaccinated and offering on-site vaccinations at baseball games, Microsoft donating thousands of Xbox video game consoles to Boys and Girls Clubs in hard-hit areas that will run educational vaccine seminars and United Airlines’ “Your Shot to Fly” sweepstakes, which will give vaccinated customers the chance to win free flights.
The White House announced a number of new initiatives as part of the Month of Action, including partnerships with private businesses, athletes, colleges and universities, social media influencers, faith-based partners and others.
The White House will launch two challenges — one for mayors and one for colleges — to see who can get the most people vaccinated over the next month, prior to the president’s July 4 goal, with recognition of the winners later this summer.
Both will include toolkits and help from the federal government, and the college challenge will also include training sessions, the chance to establish on-campus vaccination sites and the ability to create a student corps to encourage vaccinations among the student body.
The administration is also preparing a grassroots movement to connect to Americans within their communities, including a new program called Shots at the Shop, a partnership “that will engage Black-owned barbershops and beauty salons across the country,” according to a White House fact sheet. The initiative will especially focus on areas of the U.S. hard hit by COVID-19.