Biden announces free child care program for people getting vaccinated

President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that four of the country’s largest child care providers will offer free child care to parents and caregivers getting a COVID-19 vaccine until July 4.

Biden announced a National Month of Action to get at 70% of American adults at least partially vaccinated against COVID-19 by July 4. Americans as young as age 12 years are now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

Biden said KinderCare and Learning Care Group locations will offer free drop-in appointments to parents or caregivers who need support while getting vaccinated or recovering after receiving a shot.

More than 500 YMCA locations in nearly every state will offer drop-in care during vaccine appointments, and Bright Horizons will provide free child care services for its workers employed at participating organizations, Biden said.

“In addition, Uber and Lyft are both offering free rides to and from vaccination centers,” Biden said in a press conference. “It’s easier than ever to get vaccinated.”

Furthermore, HHS is issuing new guidance encouraging states to use child care funding from the American Rescue Plan to provide financial incentives to neighborhood- and home-based child care providers to join in on the effort.

“It’s going to take everyone — the federal government; the state government; local, tribal and territorial governments; the private sector; and most importantly, the American people — to get to the 70% mark, so we can declare our independence from COVID-19, and free ourselves from the grip it has held over our lives for the better part of a year,” Biden said.