What can you win for getting a COVID-19 vaccine in SC? Here’s a list of prizes, deals

Sam Ogozalek
·6 min read

Free cruises. Tickets to Super Bowl LVI. Beer.

Unvaccinated and vaccinated South Carolinians face a dizzying array of national and local promotions aimed at convincing wary residents to get a COVID-19 shot, with only about 45% of the state’s 12-and-up population at least partially inoculated.

Here’s a guide to vaccine giveaways and deals available in South Carolina:

Pharmacies

CVS: This national pharmacy chain is running a major sweepstakes event for Americans previously vaccinated at CVS and those who will get a shot there no later than July 10. Prizes include weekend trips to Bermuda, cruises, gift cards, VIP Super Bowl LVI tickets and passes to the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas this fall. Visit http://bit.ly/SweepstakesCVS to enter your name into consideration. The full rules can be found online here: http://bit.ly/SweepstakesRulesCVS

Grocery and retail stores

Kroger: This chain is giving away $5 million to U.S. residents 18 or older who have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at a Kroger Family Company location (such as a Kroger or a Harris Teeter). Five winners will each receive $1 million. Another 50 people will get free groceries for a year ($13,000 in gift cards). The event ends July 10. You can submit your information for the drawings at http://bit.ly/KrogerVaccines. The full rules can be found online here: http://bit.ly/KrogerGiveawayRules

Target: You can get a $5 Target coupon if you’re vaccinated at a CVS store inside a Target location. You can find these pharmacies online here: http://bit.ly/TargetPharmacies

Sherry Barclay, a licensed practical nurse, gets a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from Dr. Jennifer Henzler of CVS Pharmacy, at Wellmore of Lexington on Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020. Barclay said she was excited to get the extra layer of virus protection after she was diagnosed with COVID-19 in October but showed no symptoms.
Sherry Barclay, a licensed practical nurse, gets a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from Dr. Jennifer Henzler of CVS Pharmacy, at Wellmore of Lexington on Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020. Barclay said she was excited to get the extra layer of virus protection after she was diagnosed with COVID-19 in October but showed no symptoms.

Alcohol

“Shot and a Chaser”: The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control has partnered with the S.C. Brewers Guild to offer a free beer (if you’re at least 21 years old) or a soda to anyone who gets inoculated at certain breweries across the state in June. They are giving the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine or the two-dose Moderna vaccine.

Here’s a complete schedule from DHEC:

Upstate:

  • Thursday, June 10: Keowee Brewing in Seneca from 4 to 8 p.m.

  • Friday, June 11: Pendleton Brewing in Pendleton from 4 to 8 p.m.

  • Friday, June 11: Fireforge Crafted Beer in Greenville from 4 to 8 p.m.

  • Friday, June 11: Ciclops Cyderi and Brewery in Spartanburg from 4 to 8 p.m.

  • Saturday, June 12: Birds Fly South Ale Project in Greenville from 2 to 6 p.m.

  • Saturday, June 12: Ciclops Cyderi and Brewery in Spartanburg from 2 to 6 p.m.

Lowcountry:

  • Thursday, June 10: Holy City Brewing in Charleston from 3 to 6 p.m.

  • Friday, June 11: Edmund’s Oast Brewing Company in Charleston from 3 to 6 p.m.

  • Saturday, June 12: Tradesman Brewing Company in Charleston from 3 to 6 p.m.

  • Thursday, June 17: Palmetto Brewing Company in Charleston from 4 to 7 p.m.

  • Thursday, June 17: Tideland Brewing in North Charleston from 4 to 7 p.m.

  • Friday, June 18: Commonhouse Aleworks in North Charleston from 4 to 7 p.m.

  • Wednesday, June 23: Victor Hoppenstein’s Brewlab in Charleston from 4 to 7 p.m.

  • Friday, June 25: Low Tide Brewing on Johns Island from 3 to 6 p.m.

  • Friday, June 25: Cooper River Brewing in Charleston from 4 to 7 p.m.

Midlands:

  • Friday, June 11: River Rat Brewery in Columbia from 3 to 7 p.m.

  • Friday, June 18: Lore Brewing in Indian Land from 3 to 7 p.m.

Pee Dee:

  • Friday, June 11: Seminar Brewing in Florence from 4 to 9 p.m.

  • Saturday, June 12: Tidal Creek Brewhouse in Myrtle Beach from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Ridesharing

Lyft: You can get a free ride (up to $15) from Lyft each way to and from vaccine appointments. Information on how to set this up can be found online here: http://bit.ly/LyftVaccines

Uber: You can get a free ride (up to $25) from Uber each way to and from vaccine appointments between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. through July 4. Information on how to set this up can be found online here: http://bit.ly/UberVaccines

A mobile vaccination clinic in Barnwell, S.C. provided around 400 Coronavirus vaccines to people who preregistered for the event.
A mobile vaccination clinic in Barnwell, S.C. provided around 400 Coronavirus vaccines to people who preregistered for the event.

Child care

Bright Horizons: This company has partnered with several major U.S. businesses to offer employees a day of free child care through July 4 while they go get vaccinated. The employers include Mars, Levi Strauss, Santander and USAA, among others. More information can be found online here: http://bit.ly/BrightHorizonsVaccines

KinderCare: This provider is also offering a day of free child care so parents can be inoculated. The Clements Ferry KinderCare location in Charleston is participating in the company’s national initiative, a spokesperson confirmed. Details about the offer can be found online here: http://bit.ly/KinderCareVaccines

Dating apps

BLK, Chispa and Match: Vaccinated users will get a free “Boost,” so their profile is one of the first seen by their matches.

Bumble, Hinge and Tinder: Vaccinated users can get special stickers, among other premium features.

Snacks

Krispy Kreme: You can get a free glazed doughnut from Krispy Kreme once per day if you show a store employee your COVID-19 vaccine card.

Music

Spotify: This music streaming platform is encouraging people to get vaccinated via a sweepstakes that ends July 4. You can tweet about “why you’re excited for the safe return of music” and include #SafeBeforeShows #Sweepstakes to enter your name into consideration. Spotify will award 500 people $100 vouchers or coupons to use at independent concert venues around the country. Go to https://bit.ly/2TNM55X for the full rules.

The gymnasium of Battery Creek High School was turned into a vaccination center on Thursday, March 11, 2021 for employees with the Beaufort County School District to receive their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Beaufort Memorial Hospital would be at the high school for roughly five hours to vaccinate employees in the school district.
The gymnasium of Battery Creek High School was turned into a vaccination center on Thursday, March 11, 2021 for employees with the Beaufort County School District to receive their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Beaufort Memorial Hospital would be at the high school for roughly five hours to vaccinate employees in the school district.

Sports

Major League Baseball: The MLB on Friday announced that its 30 clubs will each host at least one event in June where unvaccinated fans can get a free ticket to a game if they also receive a dose there. Logistics and other details remained unclear as of Friday.

Major League Soccer: MLS clubs in June will offer vaccinated fans a 30% discount on in-stadium merchandise, according to the White House. The league will also run a sweepstakes for a trip to the 2021 MLS All-Star Game, federal officials say. That match is expected to be held next month in Los Angeles.

National Football League: The NFL will provide 50 free tickets to Super Bowl LVI for fans who share stories of why they were vaccinated or soon plan to get a shot. The Super Bowl is set for Feb. 13, 2022, in Los Angeles. An NFL spokesperson late Friday afternoon did not immediately respond to a request for details on how to win the tickets. The league will also offer a 25% discount on online merchandise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the White House.

Note: Data in this story are current as of early Saturday.This list is primarily based on information from the CDC. Have we missed a vaccine promotion? Email reporter Sam Ogozalek at: sogozalek@islandpacket.com

Dr. Dhruti Patel holds a vial of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine at Lexington Pharmacy on Thursday, March 18, 2021. The pharmacy is administering the Johnson and Johnson coronavirus vaccine, which is one shot as opposed to the two shot vaccines made by other drug companies.
Dr. Dhruti Patel holds a vial of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine at Lexington Pharmacy on Thursday, March 18, 2021. The pharmacy is administering the Johnson and Johnson coronavirus vaccine, which is one shot as opposed to the two shot vaccines made by other drug companies.