North Carolinians now have another reason to get vaccinated: the chance at a $1 million cash prize.
The state will launch a series of lotto drawings over the next four weeks to incentivize more residents to get the COVID-19 vaccine, Governor Roy Cooper announced.
“We’re pulling out all the stops,” Cooper said during a Thursday presser. “It’s your shot at a million.”
About 45 percent of adult residents in the state–2.5 million–haven’t received the vaccine. Cooper said similar cash draws in other states have upped vaccine rates.
Here’s how it works: everyone who’s already vaccinated will be automatically entered into a drawing for $1 million. Those who haven’t gotten their shot will be entered twice if they get vaccinated before the first drawing, June 23.
After that, there will be three more drawings every other week, with a final lotto on August 4.
“We know that vaccines are the key to beating this virus. The proof is overwhelming and irrefutable: vaccines are safe and effective,” Cooper said.
As of today, the state has a 1.8 percent positivity rate for those tested for COVID-19, with 464 new cases reported since Wednesday. There are currently 548 people in the hospital and 13,246 people have died since the start of the pandemic.
The prize money will be funded through federal money allotted to fight COVID-19 in North Carolina. Winners of the lotto prize will be public, and the prize money will be taxed, Cooper said.
“Those who are unvaccinated still put themselves and others around them at risk,” said North Carolina Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Mandy Cohen. “We want to make sure you are protected.”
Follow Senior Staff Writer Leigh Tauss on Twitter or send an email to ltauss@indyweek.com.
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