New Jersey ‘Shot and a Beer’ program offers free beer to those who get Covid-19 vaccine

The state of New Jersey introduced a new program on Monday offering a free beer to those who get a Covid-19 vaccine in May.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced on Twitter that the state was teaming up with over a dozen breweries for the “Shot and a Beer” project.

“We’re launching our ‘Shot and a Beer’ program to encourage eligible New Jerseyans ages 21+ to get vaccinated,” Murphy said. “Any New Jerseyan who gets their first vaccine dose in the month of May and takes their vaccination card to a participating brewery will receive a free beer.”

The rollout is part of the state’s “Operation Jersey Summer,” which aims to encourage immunization and make the vaccine more available by offering walk-in appointments at mega-sites and other locations.

“We are putting into overdrive our work to hit our initial target of 4.7 million vaccinated New Jerseyans by June 30th,” Murphy said.

The state is also reaching out to residents in underserved areas with information on the vaccine, and helping residents make appointments, according to the governor. New Jersey is partnering with religious leaders as well for the “Grateful for the Shot” program, which Murphy said “will make it possible for congregants to go directly from religious services to vaccination sites.”

Meanwhile, Murphy announced the state would soon ease Covid-19 restrictions, like eliminating indoor dining capacity restrictions as long as parties are six feet apart and removing the limit on outdoor gatherings.

As of Monday, New Jersey has administered over four million doses, and 37 percent of the population in the state is fully vaccinated, according to NBC News’ data.