McDonald's is partnering with the federal government to provide COVID-19 vaccine information on billboards, coffee cups and package seals, the company said Tuesday.
The Chicago-based burger brand said its role in the U.S. Health and Human Services Department’s “We Can Do This” campaign would begin later in May with third-party COVID-19 vaccine information posted on the McDonald's billboard in New York City’s Times Square.
Starting in July, McDonald's hot McCafé cups and McDelivery seal stickers will promote vaccines.gov information and its locator for finding vaccine appointments. The website is sponsored by HHS, Boston Children’s Hospital and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
McDonald’s new packaging and ads will feature art from the national “We Can Do This” campaign, setting the campaign's slogan against a map of the United States.
“McDonald's is committed to making helpful information accessible to our customers, who are encouraged to share the campaign using #WeCanDoThis to inspire others to learn more about what they can do to help end the pandemic,” the company said in a statement.
Genna Gent, McDonald's USA vice president for global public policy and government relations, said, “We all want to protect ourselves and our loved ones and be together with our communities again. McDonald's is excited to be doing our part for the people we serve, providing them with simple information that can help keep them safe.”
Gent said the program would reach customers in the 14,000 U.S. communities it serves.
Xavier Becerra, secretary of Health and Human Services, said in a statement Tuesday that more than 150 million Americans had already received on dose of the vaccine.
"Thanks to McDonalds, people will now be able to get trusted information about vaccines when they grab a cup of coffee or order a meal,” Becerra said. “Ending this pandemic requires all of us working together to do our part, including encouraging our friends and family to get vaccinated. This effort will help more people make informed decisions about their health and learn about steps they can take to protect themselves and their communities."
McDonald's said it remained committed to being as safe as possible for crew members and customers and has enhanced more than 50 safety processes at restaurants over the last year.
In addition, McDonald's announced in January that managers and crew at corporate-owned U.S. restaurants and U.S. corporate employees would receive up to four hours of paid time to get the vaccine. Earlier this month, the company hosted a vaccination clinic at its Chicago headquarters for local crew, franchisees, corporate employees and contractors.
McDonald's has more than 39,000 locations in more than 100 countries, including nearly 14,000 restaurants in the United States. About 93% of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by franchisees.
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