As the quest for communities to get Americans vaccinated continues, and the supply of vaccines outnumbers the demand, states and cities are coming up with creative ways to get people inoculated.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced that the state would run a sweepstakes where people who have received at least one shot would be eligible for a $1 million dollar prize.
Elsewhere, governments and businesses are offering a growing number of perks to draw people into receiving a COVID-19 vaccine shot. Everything from beer to cash to game tickets are being used as incentives.
For example, West Virginia is offering a $100 savings bond for people who decide to get a shot, while New Orleans gave away a pound of free crawfish with each COVID vaccine at one event. In Washington, D.C. an event held at The Kennedy Center offered “a shot and a beer” for anyone age 21 and older with no appointment needed.
State and company partnerships have also been in the works. Maine has been teaming up with businesses to provide vaccines with an initiative named Your Shot to Get Outdoors. The Maine Department of Health and Human Services will be purchasing 5,000 tickets, licenses and passes. The perks include licenses for fishing and hunting, an L.L. Bean gift card and a Maine Wildlife Park pass.
The New York Mets and Yankees will offer tickets for people to get vaccinated and create separate sections in their stadiums for vaccinated fans. The National Football League is also getting in on the action, offering 50 Super Bowl tickets to fans who share their stories of why they wanted to get vaccinated.
Cash incentives have been, perhaps, the most straightforward option.
In Detroit, people can get a $50 prepaid debit card for driving someone to a vaccination site through the city’s Good Neighbor program.
Maryland is incentivizing vaccinations with $100 payments to state employees who elect to get a coronavirus vaccine.
Republican Gov. Larry Hogan explained in a statement, “Incentives like this are another way to reinforce the importance of getting vaccinated,” while encouraging businesses throughout Maryland to offer incentives to their workers as well.
Six state governors recently met with President Joe Biden to discuss vaccination programs across the country.
Brent Woodie writes for Route Fifty, a digital news publication that aims to connect the people and ideas advancing state, county and municipal government across the United States. These stories are part of the Solutions Journalism Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to rigorous reporting about responses to social problems. It originally appeared here.
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