Choose to get vaccinated and receive $100 immediately, the Biden administration is proposing, an incentive that comes amid a broader effort to lift stalled vaccination rates in the U.S. Mr. Biden will ask local and state governments to take up the initiative.
The U.S. Treasury Department said Thursday the $100 payments are intended to serve “as an extra incentive to boost vaccination rates, protect communities and save lives.” The incentive can be funded through $350 billion set aside for state and local governments that was included in the stimulus package approved in March.
The president will also announce mandatory vaccination, or all-day mask-wearing and weekly testing for federal employees and on-site contractors. And Mr. Biden will direct the U.S. Dept. of Defense to determine how and when Covid-19 shots could be added to the list of vaccinations required for members of the U.S. military, according to the White House.
Locally, the Bryan administration's "Vax-to-Win" program provides $100,000 to one person per district, per week for ten weeks, with four winners — two from each district — being announced thus far. There's also a special drawing for school-based workers and bus drivers, which offers $50,000 to each winner.
The results of the efforts so far have been mild, with administration officials, including Governor Bryan and Health Commissioner Justa Encarnacion, pointing to temporary above-normal vaccination rates following the announcement of the incentive and after the first winners were announced.
