COVID-19, Federal | June 5, 2021

President Biden Announces National Month of Action on COVID-19 Vaccinations

This week, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. announced a National Month of Action to mobilize the country in reaching its goal of ensuring 70 percent of U.S. adults receive at least one COVID-19 vaccine by July 4. The National Month of Action will engage national organizations, local government leaders, community-based and faith-based organizations, businesses, employers, social media influencers, athletes, and volunteers to encourage residents in their communities to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The following initiatives are planned for the National Month of Action, which begins today:

  • Free Childcare for Individuals Getting Vaccinated – Four of the country’s largest childcare providers will offer free childcare to all parents and caregivers receiving a vaccine or recovering from vaccination until July 4. KinderCare and Learning Care Group locations will offer free, drop-in appointments, and more than 500 YMCAs in nearly all states will offer drop-in childcare. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) this week announced new guidance that encourages states to use childcare funding from the American Rescue Plan (ARPA) to provide financial incentives to childcare providers who join the President’s call to action.
  • Extended Pharmacy Hours – Beginning next week, thousands of pharmacies throughout the country will stay open late every Friday in June and offer services throughout the night to ensure Americans can receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Participating pharmacy chains include Albertsons, CVS, Rite-Aid, and Walgreens.
  • Community Canvassing, Phone and Text Banking, and Vaccination Events – The Month of Action will include calls and text messages to people in areas with low vaccination rates and canvasses in neighborhoods close to walk-in vaccine clinics. More than 100 organizations have already committed to hosting over 1,000 events in the first weekend with thousands more to occur throughout the month. President Biden will call on Americans to take at least five actions to help their communities during the Month of Action, and Americans can visit WeCanDoThis.hhs.gov to learn more and sign up to help their communities get vaccinated.
  • “We Can Do This” National Vaccination Tour – Vice President Kamala Harris will lead a nationwide tour to highlight the ease of getting vaccinated, encourage vaccinations, and energize and mobilize grassroots vaccine education and outreach efforts. The Vice President’s travel will be anchored in the South, and the First Lady, the Second Gentleman, and members of the Cabinet will join the Administration’s tour to communities across the country.
  • Mayoral Vaccine Challenge – In collaboration with the U.S. Conference of Mayors, a “Mayors Challenge” competition has been established to see which city can grow its vaccination rate the most by July 4. Participating mayors commit to taking actions throughout the month to boost vaccinations, such as coordinating canvassing efforts, partnering with local businesses, and providing incentives to local residents. The Biden-Harris Administration has created a toolkit for local government leaders, and more than 50 mayors of cities across the country have signed up for the challenge.
  • Shots at the Shop Initiative – The Biden-Harris Administration has partnered with the Black Coalition Against COVID, the University of Maryland Center for Health Equity, and SheaMoisture to launch the “Shots at the Shop,” an initiative that will engage Black-owned barbershops and beauty salons across the country to support local vaccine education and outreach efforts. Throughout the month of June, each participating shop will engage customers with information about vaccines, display educational materials, and host on-site vaccination events in partnership with local providers.
  • Local TV, Radio, and Social Media Engagement – The National Association of Broadcasters (NABA), representing over 7,000 TV and radio stations across the country, will have local station members participate in the National Month of Action by airing vaccine education segments featuring trusted community voices and leading medical professionals. The Administration will also deploy medical experts, public health leaders, and Cabinet officials to communicate directly with Americans on social media platforms.
  • COVID-19 College Challenge – The Biden-Harris Administration is launching the COVID-19 College Challenge, enabling colleges and universities to take a pledge to commit to taking action to get their students and communities vaccinated. As part of the challenge, the Administration will provide training sessions, toolkits, and educational materials to assist in vaccination efforts, facilitate on-site vaccination efforts, and launch a student corps within the COVID-19 Community Corps to encourage students to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Business Incentives for Vaccinated Persons: During the Month of Action, the Administration will partner with employers and businesses to facilitate setting up workplace vaccination clinics. The Administration is also calling on more businesses to encourage and incentivize vaccinations. Americans will be able to find a list of available incentives on vaccines.gov/incentives.html.

For additional information on the National Month of Action, visit the White House website here.