Biden promises free beer and childcare if 70% of Americans get at least 1 vaccine shot before July 4

 President Joe Biden unveiled a plan to get 70% of Americans at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot before the July 4th holiday, during a speech Wednesday afternoon.

“Today we’re announcing a month-long effort to pull out all the stops to free ourselves from this virus,” the president said. “It’s going to take everyone: the federal government, the state governments and local, tribal, and territorial governments, the private sector and, most importantly, the American people to get to this 70% mark so we can declare independence from COVID-19.”

The plan includes recruiting private businesses to offer incentives to get vaccinated, including a tax credit to cover the cost of providing paid time off for Americans to get the vaccine.

The plan also includes a pledge by Anheuser-Busch BUD, +1.40% to offer free beer to Americans after the country meets Biden’s 70% goal. Meanwhile, CVS CVS, +0.14% has begun a sweepstakes for vaccinated people to win free cruises, Super Bowl

President Joe Biden speaks as Vice President Kamala Harris listens during an event in the South Court Auditorium of the White House on Wednesday.

 ALEX WONG/GETTY IMAGES

tickets and cash prizes, and Major League Baseball will offer on-site vaccinations at games and give free tickets to fans who take up the offer.

Child care providers, including KinderCare, Learning Care Group , the YMCA and Bright Horizons BFAM, +2.48%, have also agreed to provide free drop-in appointments to parents and care givers so that they can take the time to be vaccinated.

Biden said that “thousands of pharmacies” across the nation have agreed to offer 24-hour access to vaccines on Fridays during the month of June to enable those who are too busy during the day, including CVS, Albertsons ACI, +1.12%, Rite-Aid RAD, +11.14% and Walgreens WBA, +1.87%.

The White House is planning to launch a marketing blitz to encourage unvaccinated Americans to get vaccinated, including “blanketing” social media, television and radio with ads promoting vaccination, providing resources for colleges and universities to encourage students to become vaccinated and an effort to get Black-owned barber shops and salons to offer on-site vaccinations.

“We need everyone across the country to pull together to get us over the finish line,” Biden said. “Give it your all through July the 4th to reach our 70% goal. Let’s go into the summer freer and safer. Let’s celebrate a truly historic Independence Day.”