US Offers $100 for Vaccination as Europe Surpasses Its Vaccination Rate

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] On the 29th (local time), U.S. President Joe Biden requested state and local governments to pay $100 (approximately 110,000 KRW) to COVID-19 vaccine recipients. This is to boost the sluggish vaccination rate amid the spread of the Delta variant.

President Biden announced this during a White House briefing, saying, "It may seem unfair to those who have already been vaccinated, but if more people can get vaccinated, it will benefit everyone."

The vaccination rate in the U.S. has stalled at around 49%. Despite the resurgence of COVID-19, less than half of the population has completed the second dose. Earlier this year, the European Union (EU), which had experienced supply shortages, has since surpassed the U.S. in the number of doses administered per 100 people.

President Biden cited the example of the large retailer Kroger, which increased its employees' vaccination rate from 50% to 75% by providing incentives, stating, "We have confirmed that financial incentives can motivate vaccinations." The incentives for new vaccine recipients will be funded from the $350 billion (approximately 400 trillion KRW) allocated to state and local governments under the American Rescue Plan Act approved by Congress on the 3rd.

He also introduced strengthened vaccination measures for federal employees and the military. Federal employees will now be required to submit proof of full vaccination; otherwise, they must wear masks and undergo COVID-19 testing once or twice a week. Official travel will also be restricted. Although vaccination is not mandated, these measures are stricter than previous ones, as unvaccinated individuals will face various penalties.

The mandatory vaccination list for military personnel will include the COVID-19 vaccine. President Biden emphasized, "Since our troops are deployed worldwide, and many of these areas have low vaccination rates and disease spread, mandatory vaccination for military personnel is very important."

While Israel announced booster shots for those aged 60 and over on the same day, the U.S. government does not currently see the need for a third dose. President Biden said, "Americans do not need booster shots at this time," adding, "If they were needed now, we would have already purchased the necessary doses."

The U.S. has once again become the epicenter of the spread due to the Delta variant. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. reported 503,032 confirmed cases from the 19th to the 25th, the highest in the world. This is nearly twice the number reported by Indonesia (289,029) and the United Kingdom (282,920), which are known to have been hit hard by the Delta variant.