With demand for COVID-19 vaccines waning just weeks before the state lifts all public health restrictions, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday a $116.5 million incentive program, including $1.5 million prizes for 10 vaccinated residents that will doled out through a raffle-type drawing.
Newsom called it the “most significant incentive program in the United States of America.”
Beginning immediately, the next 2 million state residents who receive their first dose — and ultimately their second — will receive $50 gift cards. Those cards will be either a pre-paid MasterCard or grocery store gift cards for Kroger or Albertsons markets.
On June 4 and June 11, the state will hold drawings to award $50,000 to 15 vaccinated people on each of those dates. Everyone who has been vaccinated with at least one dose in the state by those dates will be eligible, even those who were vaccinated prior to the drawing being announced.
People who have been or will be vaccinated by those dates will be automatically entered into the drawing. There is no need to register.
On June 15, the date the state plans to scrap the vast majority of its COVID-19 health restrictions, the state will draw the names of 10 vaccinated residents, each of whom will receive $1.5 million.
Newsom noted that demand for the vaccines has dropped in recent weeks. He said the state has administered about 1.9 million doses over the past week, down from a high of around 3 million per week. To date, more than 37 million doses have been administered in California.
Los Angeles County has been offering incentives of its own, conducting a sweepstakes for Laker season tickets for anyone who got a first dose at a county or city operated vaccination site last weekend. Starting Friday, anybody vaccinated at a city or county site through June 3 will be entered for a chance to win L.A. Kings or Galaxy season tickets. People vaccinated at St. John’s Well Child and Family Center sites will also be entered into that drawing.
