For five weeks there will be two lottery draws in the State of Ohio, one for adults who are vaccinated or $1 million dollar and another for student who would get a full four-year scholarship to any Ohio State College or Universities.
«I know that some may say, ‘DeWine, you are crazy! This million-dollar drawing idea of yours is a waste of money'», the governor said on Twitter. «But truly, the real waste at this point in the pandemic – when the vaccine is readily available to anyone who wants it – is a life lost to COVID-19.»
It is very expensive to treat a patient at a hospital once they have contracted the virus. And in the end, it might make more economic sense to use money to entice more people to get the vaccine.
I am hoping that one of my friends or relatives in Ohio will get the million dollars or one of the scholarships.
As U.S. political leaders grow increasingly desperate to persuade Americans to get the coronavirus vaccine, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine topped offers of baseball tickets and beer with a $1 million prize drawing.
New Jersey and Connecticut have made deals with bars and brewpubs to offer a free drink to the newly vaccinated. Maryland state employees who get inoculated are offered $100.
Last week, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the Mets and Yankees baseball clubs would hand out free tickets to fans who got inoculated at their parks before games.
And now Uber is offering free rides for people to go to the vaccination sites.
While there have been many who have been vaccinated, we also have a long way to go. Some poor folks are harder to reach and then there are some who are still avoiding the vaccine. They worry about what might be in the vaccine. At the same time, this public does not question what is in the fast food, the soft drinks nor the liquor that they consume. We gobble up potato chips and other snacks without questioning what is in the ingredients.
Perhaps celebrities including actors, sports figures, musicians, politicians, news figures could be present at selected vaccination sites and be willing to sign pictures and take pictures with those being vaccinated. This for sure would get many there to get their vaccine shot.
Although I have already been vaccinated, I could previously have been tempted by an offer of ten tacos once a month for a year at my favorite Taco Truck.
Every one of us who has been vaccinated might want to set the goal of reaching out to our family and friends and getting at least 10 people to get vaccinated. We could make a difference. Each business and nonprofit might set a goal to get all their employees and members to get vaccinated.
At the same time, we must also support efforts to vaccinate everyone worldwide. If we are to control new variants it will take us having herd immunity not only in this country but worldwide.
