New Jersey offers free beer to residents who get vaccinated in May

A vaccination card will be the ticket for a free brewski in the Garden State this month.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced a "Shot and a Beer” program Monday that provides a free glass of beer at participating locations to anyone over 21 who gets their first vaccination dose this month. The plan is part of Murphy's multipronged approach to increasing the state's vaccination numbers and reach its goal of 4.7 million residents vaccinated by the end of June.
The program is one of many initiatives taken by city and state governments to get more people vaccinated, and according to a public health expert, they are effective.

"We need that push," Dr. Perry N. Halkitis, dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health, told ABC News. "You have to find a way to motivate people. This is one way to do it."

As of Monday, more than 7.5 million vaccine doses have been administered in New Jersey, and 3.2 million residents -- about 37% of the state's total population -- have been fully vaccinated, according to New Jersey's Health Department. Like most parts of the country, the number of new daily vaccinations has steadily declined over the last few weeks.

As part of the "Shot and a Beer" program, the vaccinated resident can show their vaccination card to 13 participating bars and breweries in the state, and they will be rewarded with one free beer. The bars include the Hackensack Brewing Company, Gaslight Brewery and Restaurant, Battle River Brewing and more.