Cash For Vaccines Drawing Could be Coming To NC
A new cash for vaccines drawing could be coming to NC. North Carolina’s vaccination rates continue to stall. As a result, Governor Roy Cooper is expected to announce a new cash drawing incentive to get more people vaccinated. The good news is anyone who has already been vaccinated would also be eligible for the prize. The program is expected to be announced Thursday, June 10th. It would be modeled after campaigns currently running in Ohio and other states according to WRAL Raleigh. It is currently unclear whether or not people would have to opt into the drawing or if anyone in the database would be eligible to win. There are also no details on how many drawings and how much money they will be for.
This news comes as NC’s rate of vaccination falls behind the national trends. Currently, only 54% of adults have received one dose of the vaccine. That number is 64% nationwide per numbers from the Department of Health and Human Services.
Mecklenburg County is currently participating in a program that gives $25 gift cards to anyone who receives the vaccine. Gift cards are also given to whoever drives them there. Gibbie Harris, Mecklenburg County Health Director said the program “has proven to be fairly effective.” Locations providing the cards have seen increases in vaccinations during the week the cards have been offered.
The consensus across the country is that incentives do work. We’ve seen everything from cash, food, lottery tickets, even guns, cars, and weed being offered up as “rewards” for people who get the vaccine. There is still a significant portion of people who will probably never or at least not in the immediate future get the vaccine. These incentives will not sway them. The goal is to reach the people who maybe just haven’t taken the time yet and convince them now is the time.
Source: WRAL
