ALBANY, New York, May 21, 2021 (LifeSiteNews) — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced Thursday a novel financial incentive for New Yorkers hesitant to receive a COVID-19 vaccine: a free “vax and scratch” lottery ticket with a $5 million jackpot. Tickets usually cost $20.
Cuomo promoted the scheme on May 20 through his popular Twitter account, boasting 2.5 million followers: “Today we announce a big new reason to get vaccinated: A chance to win up to $5 million!”
Today we announce a big new reason to get vaccinated: A chance to win up to $5 million!
Get vaccinated at any of 10 state vax sites and receive a free NYS Lottery scratch off ticket with a grand prize of $5 million.
Must be 18 or older.
Details: https://t.co/QwcahJI1gu
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) May 20, 2021
The incentive, running May 24–28 and taking place at ten vaccination sites spread across the state, is being offered to boost the rate of vaccine uptake, which has taken a dip of about 43 percent compared to one month ago. “If you were undecided or dubious about getting a vaccine, now you have an added bonus. Don’t miss this chance,” Cuomo said, according to an ABC News report.
“The chances of winning something in this programme are one in nine,” the governor encouraged, pointing out that runner-up prizes range from $20 to $50,000. Cuomo reportedly added that he doesn’t expect the program to encourage those decidedly against taking the jab, but he hopes that it might “incentivize” those sitting on the fence.
Cuomo qualified that only those over 18 years of age could avail themselves of the scheme, given that children as young as 12 years old are now permitted to receive one of the abortion-tainted experimental COVID-19 vaccines, sanctioned under the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) “emergency use authorization” (EUA) protocol.
The FDA states that each vaccine is “an investigational vaccine not licensed for any indication” and the agency requires that all “promotional material relating to the COVID-19 Vaccine clearly and conspicuously … state that this product has not been approved or licensed by the FDA, but has been authorized for emergency use by FDA.”
Federal law states that “to protect public health,” all manufacturers of products authorized for emergency use are required to provide “[a]ppropriate conditions designed to ensure that individuals to whom the product is administered are informed … of the option to accept or refuse administration of the product, of the consequences, if any, of refusing administration of the product, and of the alternatives to the product that are available and of their benefits and risks.”
Despite clear indications that no coercive measures are to be employed in the administration and distribution of experimental vaccines, many state officials have begun adopting highly incentivized vaccine campaigns, in an effort to push uptake.
New York’s incentive follows on the heels of Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine offering residents in his state the chance to win $1 million dollars, if they will only present themselves for a COVID jab.
DeWine announced last week that adults who have at least obtained the first injection of a coronavirus vaccine will be entered into a lottery for one of five drawings of one million dollars apiece, announced every Wednesday for five weeks starting May 26.
“The Ohio Department of Health will be the sponsoring agency for the drawings, and the Ohio Lottery will conduct them,” the governor said. “The money will come from existing federal Coronavirus Relief Funds.”
“I know that some may say, ‘DeWine, you’re crazy! This million-dollar drawing idea of yours is a waste of money,’” he continued. “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.”
Prior to DeWine’s announcement, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, also a Republican, promised “a $100 savings bond to every single [16-to-35-year-old] that steps up and takes the vaccine” in an effort to encourage widespread uptake of the jab among the young.
Justice complained that vaccine uptake among the younger demographic poses a problem for the state, prompting him to find a way of encouraging under 35 year olds to take the jab. “Our kids today don’t really probably realize just how important they are in shutting this thing down … we’ve got to do something about this,” he said.
Justice, who hopes to “get kids across the finish line” with his $100 savings bond incentive, intends to bankroll the program by digging into funds supplied through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, passed by the U.S. Congress in March 2020 and signed into law by then-President Donald Trump.
Private businesses, too, are throwing their weight behind programs nudging the public to take up vaccines. Krispy Kreme has offered Americans who show their CDC-issued vaccine cards one free donut every day for the rest of 2021. Other incentives for vaccinated customers from various businesses have included marijuana, cheesecake, and arcade tokens.