New Study: Ohio's Vax-a-Million Lottery Did Nothing to Increase COVID-19 Vaccinations

When Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine spoke in a Covid address to the state in May, he announced that various health orders instituted during the pandemic would be lifted in June.

"The vaccine is stronger and better than medical experts ever imagined. And now, everyone 12 and over can use it to protect themselves — to put an invisible shield of protection around themselves. Everyone can now control their own health. Everyone can now control their own destiny," he said.

But numbers were still dismaying on the vaccine side. Early demand had slowed and the state was sitting doses while the vax rate statewide at the time was under 40%.

So while he announced the end of health orders, he also announced the Vax-a-Million lottery, which would give five lucky, vaccinated Ohioans $1 million each over the coming weeks and scholarship lottery awards for younger residents in an effort to incentivize more jabs.“I know that some may say, ‘DeWine, you’re crazy!’ ” DeWine said. “‘This million-dollar drawing idea of yours is a waste of money.’ 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.”

Read more: https://www.citybeat.com/news/blog/21157587/new-study-ohios-vaxamillion-lottery-did-nothing-to-increase-covid19-vaccinations-in-ohio-news-about-coronavirus
(Cincinnati Citybeat)