Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma
Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma
Jeff Tavaglione receives his first of two COVID-19 vaccinations at a drive-thru clinic at Diamond Stadium in Lake Elsinore. Gov. Gavin Newsom is offering another reason to get the jab: cold, hard cash.
For Californians who are insufficiently compelled by civic duty and self-preservation to get vaccinated, Gov. Gavin Newsom is offering another reason to get the jab: cold, hard cash.
Newsom announced a $116.5 million "Vax for the Win" program, the largest inoculation lottery program in the country, Thursday, May 27. The money will be split among dozens of lucky Californians: $1.5 million to each of 10 "grand cash prize" winners who will be picked by random draw on June 15, and $50,000 each to 30 "Fridays for 30" winners to be selected by random draw on June 4 and June 11.
The remaining $100 million will be divided up in $50 retail gift cards among the next 2 million Californians to complete their vaccine regime.
"These are real incentives," the governor said at a news conference. "And these are an opportunity to say thank you to those not only seeking to get vaccinated, as we move forward, but also those that have been vaccinated."
According to the most recent state vaccine data, a little more than half of all Californians over age 12 have been fully vaccinated. Another 13% have received one of two shots.
That still leaves more than 12 million Californians unvaccinated.
The percentage vaccinated varies wildly by race and income. Among Californians living in the top quarter of the healthiest ZIP codes, 76.6% have received at least one dose. In the least healthy quarter in the state's "Healthy Places" Index, the share is only 52.1%.
"Some Californians weren't ready to get their COVID-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. Tomás Aragón, director of the California Department of Public Health, said in a statement.
H.D. Palmer, a representative for the state Department of Finance, said the lottery funding will initially come out of the state's emergency operations account, but will be repaid with the state's multi-billion dollar allotment of federal relief funds.
This article first appeared on CalMatters Network and is being republished under a Creative Commons license. CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.
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