"Get $100 for Vaccination"… US Offers Vaccine Incentives for Children Aged 5-11

A child in New York State is receiving a COVID-19 vaccine as vaccination for children aged 5 to 11 begins in the United States.
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seoyoung Kwon] As COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged 5 to 11 have begun in the United States, some cities have introduced incentives such as giving $100 (about 118,000 KRW) to those who get vaccinated.

On the 5th (local time), The New York Times (NYT) reported that New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that parents who get their school-aged children their first COVID-19 vaccine would receive $100. New York City had already been providing $100 as a kind of incentive to residents receiving their first vaccine, but this program has now been expanded to include children.

Parents in New York City can receive a $100 prepaid debit card if they vaccinate their children at city-run vaccination sites or schools. Instead of the debit card, they can also choose tickets to visit the Statue of Liberty or tickets to a game of the Brooklyn Cyclones, a minor league baseball team.

Additionally, CNN reported that Chicago will also provide $100 gift cards to children aged 5 to 11 who get vaccinated. The Chicago school district designated the 12th as "Vaccine Awareness Day," closing schools to encourage students to get vaccinated.

San Antonio, Texas, announced that parents who vaccinate their children at public health clinics will receive $100 gift cards usable at grocery stores, and Louisiana also plans to give $100 to children in the same age group.

In Minnesota, to increase vaccination rates among children aged 12 to 17, the "Kids Deserve Vaccines" program is underway. Participants can apply for a $200 (about 237,000 KRW) Visa gift card after vaccination and also enter a scholarship lottery worth $100,000 (about 118 million KRW).

However, CNN predicted that the effectiveness of these incentives is uncertain. According to a study published last month in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Health Forum, lotteries implemented in 19 U.S. states did not significantly increase vaccination rates. Some researchers explained that cash incentives might be more effective than lotteries.