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Updated May 13th, 2021 at 13:11 IST

COVID: Ohio offers $1 mn lottery, other incentives to encourage people to get vaccinated

US state Ohio's Governor has come up with various incentives, including, $1 million prizes and full-ride scholarships to public colleges.

Reported by: Akanksha Arora
US
(IMAGE CREDITS: AP/UNSPLASH) | Image:self
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In an attempt to get more and more people vaccinated, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has come up with various incentives, including, $1 million prizes and full-ride scholarships to public colleges. During a statewide televised address, DeWine announced that 5 vaccinated adults would be chosen at random to each receive a $1 million prize as part of the “Ohio Vax-a-Million” lottery. He said, “The pool of names for the drawing will be derived from the Ohio secretary of state’s publicly available voter registration database”. The drawing of winners will be held over five consecutive Wednesdays starting May 26.

Current situation in Ohio

Ohio residents who are at least 18 years of age and have been vaccinated before the drawings will be eligible to win. As per DeWine, a separate incentive would be made available to the children who are vaccinated. Taking to Twitter, he wrote, “I know that some may say, ‘DeWine, you’re crazy! This million-dollar drawing idea of yours is a waste of money.’ 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”. 

Speaking about the current situation in Ohio, DeWine informed that the cases have dropped. He said, “We set a goal, and are moving toward it. As more and more eligible Ohioans get vaccinated, we’re seeing more and more signs that the tide of this pandemic is finally turning in our favor”. He revealed that the government is rapidly towards their goal of getting down to an average of 50 cases per 100,000 over a two-week period. In December, that number topped more than 800. Four weeks ago, it was 200. Two weeks ago, it was 155. Currently, it is 123. 

“I always look to see how we are doing in relationship to our neighboring states. Each state is different. Each has different challenges. And we have, at times, been behind some of our neighboring states on different metrics, but here’s where we stand today”, said DeWine. 

Terming vaccines as ‘the great weapon’, he urged all the citizens to get vaccinated. He said that only 42 per cent of the entire population has been vaccinated. He added, “The vaccinated among us feel liberated. They can hug their grandkids, go out to eat, go to a ball game -- live their life -- all without fear. But, for those who are not vaccinated, the virus is just as dangerous as ever. In fact, because the new variant is more contagious, the virus is really more dangerous than ever for those who are not vaccinated”. 

(Image Credits: AP/Unsplash)

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Published May 13th, 2021 at 13:10 IST

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