Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Thursday that California state will give $116.5 Million for Covid Vaccination lucky draw prizes to residents
May 27, 2021
Alex Olvera, 15, is vaccinated with Pfizer by Rickeyva Foster, left, at the Manual Arts high school on 17 May 2021 in Los Angeles. Photograph: Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times/REX/Shutterstock
VietPress USA (May 27, 2021): Today, Governor Gavin Newsom of California announced on Thursday that residents will be eligible for a total of $116.5m in prize money giveaways, a windfall aimed at getting millions more vaccinated before the nation’s most populous state fully reopens next month.
California has become the latest state to offer a vaccine lottery to incentivize getting the coronavirus vaccine – launching the nation’s most valuable single prize draw: $1.5m.
The population of California is 39.51 million (2019), but one third got 1 shot of Covid vaccination and about 20% to 25% got fully vaccination.
California has 33,999,180 cases contracted with Cobid-19, 63,161 deaths and 2,024,029 cases recovered.
The Worldometer on Coronavirus today shows that California go 1,540 new Covid infected cases and 48 deaths.
Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom aims to reopen 100% all California on June 15th 2021, but among all Latinos, 57% are not yet vaccinated. That’s the highest percentage of any racial or ethnic group. Besides, forty per cent of white Californians are not vaccinated, according to state figures.
To promote Californians to get vaccination, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared the Covid vaccination lottery and promotion prizes with a total USD 116.5 million.
The state’s reopening is pegged for 15 June, and on that day a drawing will be held to award 10 vaccinated people the top prize.
Another 30 people will win $50,000 each, with those drawings starting 4 June. Anyone 12 and older who has received at least one shot will be eligible. And the next 2 million people who get vaccinated will get $50 gift cards.
The state estimates about 12 million Californians 12 and older have not been vaccinated. About 63% of the 34 million eligible have gotten shots, though the pace has slowed markedly in recent weeks as infection rates have plummeted to record lows.
Ohio this week announced the first $1m winner of its “Vax-a-Million” contest, as well as the first child to win a full college scholarship. The scheme saw more than 2.7 million adults register for a chance to win.
Colorado and Oregon also offered $1m prizes.
New York is raffling 50 full scholarships to children 12 to 17 to public universities and colleges in the state, selecting 10 winners each of the next five Wednesdays.
Read this report from The Guardian at the following link:
California launches largest US Covid vaccine lottery yet with $1.5m prize
Residents will be eligible for $116.5m in prize money giveaways as the state tries to get millions more vaccinated before reopening
California has become the latest state to offer a vaccine lottery to incentivize getting the coronavirus vaccine – launching the nation’s most valuable single prize draw: $1.5m.
The state’s governor, Gavin Newsom, announced on Thursday that residents will be eligible for a total of $116.5m in prize money giveaways, a windfall aimed at getting millions more vaccinated before the nation’s most populous state fully reopens next month.
The state’s reopening is pegged for 15 June, and on that day a drawing will be held to award 10 vaccinated people the top prize.
Another 30 people will win $50,000 each, with those drawings starting 4 June. Anyone 12 and older who has received at least one shot will be eligible. And the next 2 million people who get vaccinated will get $50 gift cards.
The state estimates about 12 million Californians 12 and older have not been vaccinated. About 63% of the 34 million eligible have gotten shots, though the pace has slowed markedly in recent weeks as infection rates have plummeted to record lows.
Ohio this week announced the first $1m winner of its “Vax-a-Million” contest, as well as the first child to win a full college scholarship. The scheme saw more than 2.7 million adults register for a chance to win.
Colorado and Oregon also offered $1m prizes.
New York is raffling 50 full scholarships to children 12 to 17 to public universities and colleges in the state, selecting 10 winners each of the next five Wednesdays.
That California is turning to cash prizes to encourage vaccinations marks a major turnaround from earlier this year, when Californians clamored for shots, with some driving or waiting in line for hours to get one.
“Some Californians weren’t ready to get their Covd-19 vaccine on day one, and that’s OK. This program is designed to encourage those who need extra support to get vaccinated and help keep California safe,” Dr Tomas J. Aragon, the director of the state’s department of public health, said in a statement.
Newsom’s office said the program would be aimed at reaching people in communities hardest hit by the pandemic – mainly the poor, and Black and Latino people – though it wasn’t immediately clear how the money would be tailored to fit that goal.
California uses a “vaccine equity metric” to track vaccination progress that splits zip codes into four quartiles from least to most advantaged. Nearly half of people in the least advantaged neighborhoods still haven’t been vaccinated, according to the state. By contrast, less than a quarter of people in the most advantaged areas haven’t been vaccinated.
Among all Latinos, 57% are not yet vaccinated. That’s the highest percentage of any racial or ethnic group. Forty per cent of white Californians are not vaccinated, according to state figures.
