New York and Maryland announced Thursday that their state governments will run lotteries for their residents who receive the COVID-19 vaccine offering millions in cash prizes. Oregon announced similar plans Friday.
Prior to these three states, Ohio had already launched a lottery-based promotion earlier in May.
As most eager Americans have already vaccinated, health officials are now finding new ways to incentivize people to get their shot. Vaccinations have reportedly fallen from over three million per day last month to 1.8 million.
“Now we’re getting to a percentage of the population that not only is not eager, but a percentage of the population that is probably going to require an incentive for them to go forward and take the vaccine,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-New York) said during his press briefing Thursday.
