Joe Biden Announces 'National Month of Action' to Provide COVID-19 Vaccine Incentives, Including Free Beer

(Photo : Getty Images/Alex Wong)
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 02: U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during an event in the South Court Auditorium of the White House June 2, 2021 in Washington, DC. President Biden spoke on the COVID-19 response and the vaccination program announcing new incentives including free beer, free childcare and free sports tickets to push Americans to get vaccinated before July 4th.

The Biden administration declared a "National Month of Action" on Wednesday. Biden outlined additional steps his administration is setting forth to get 70 percent of US adults administered at least one COVID-19 shot by July 4.

The President underscored "freedom" as he initiated a significant push toward his goal. He declared a multipronged effort aimed at reaching that marker. This includes plans to recruit 1,000 Black-owned salons and barbershops to provide "Shots at the Shop" and promote vaccinations across the country.

Free beer is the most recent White House-supported incentive to urge Americans to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. The most recent vaccine sweetener, offered by Anheuser-Busch, builds on other incentives involving sports tickets, cash giveaways, or paid leave, to sustain the pace of Americans receiving vaccine doses, reported The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Five-Part Plan

Biden unveiled a five-part plan in order to reach the goal. This included taking actions to make it more convenient to be administered the vaccine and incentives including free food and tickets.

He said that 52 percent of adults are currently fully vaccinated. These include 75 percent of all seniors. According to Biden, "Fully vaccinated are safely shredding their masks and greeting one another with a smile. Grandparents are hugging their grandkids again. Small business owners are reopening storefronts and restaurants because of the vaccination strategy," reported Fox News.

The goal is vital to Biden's aim of returning the United States to something approaching a pre-pandemic sense of normalcy this season. According to him, "The more people we get vaccinated, the more success we're going to have in the fight against this virus." He said that with further vaccinations, the US will soon experience "a summer of freedom, a summer of joy, a summer of get togethers and celebrations. An All-American summer," reported US News.

The White House stated that Biden's "National Month of Action" will be an "all-of-America sprint" drawing on public-private partnerships in order to persuade Americans to roll up their sleeves and get a shot. These include social media influencers, businesses, celebrities, colleges, and community organizations. On Wednesday, Biden prompted Americans to "exercise" their freedom and make the right choice to be immunized.

In order to reach 70 percent of adults receiving their first dose by July 4, an additional 16 million people will need to get the dose in the following month. This is something the United States is seemingly on track to achieve if the current trends hold, according to an NBC News analysis. However, the demand for the vaccine has been consistently declining with inoculation rates particularly low among adults under 40.

The current administration views this month as an important month in the path to normal, according to Courtney Rowe, the director of strategic communications and engagement for the White House COVID-19 response team.

The President's plan will continue to use public and private-sector partnerships. It mirrors the "whole of government" effort he designated to make coronavirus vaccines more broadly available after he took office.