The Early Bird Didn't Get the Worm

Were you one of the first in line for a vaccine?

Maybe you had a pre-existing condition, or you’re over 55 years of age.

Maybe you wanted to see your grandchildren, or just get back to a more normal life, free of Covid-19 anxiety.

You may be thinking now that you jumped the gun.

The big news in April, as we were in full vaccine swing, was the unexpected bonus of incentives offered in exchange for rolling up your sleeve.

They were a nice perk, some local, some national, but they were pretty small potatoes compared to what’s being offered now.

Here’s a sample of the first incentives that were offered. A few of these are still active promotions.

• A free Krispy Kreme donut…one per day! (until the end of 2021)

• Free pizza in CA, WA, FL, and TX (select cities)

• Free Samuel Adams beer at your favorite bar

• A free hotdog from Nathan’s Famous on Coney Island

• Free museum pass at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield throughout May and June

• The one that really buzzed us (pardon the pun), a Michigan pot distillery, The Greenhouse of Walled Lake, was the first to offer a free joint to MI residents who flashed their vaccine card. New York City and Washington D.C. have now followed suit

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If you grumbled a bit upon seeing these in April, thinking you didn’t get anything - not even a lollipop -well, you may have even more reason to grumble now.

Declining Numbers Have Inspired Bigger Prizes

Vaccine hesitancy has upped the ante. The number of individuals wanting, waiting and willing to get a shot has sharply declined.

Today, May 7, nearly a third of US residents have been fully vaccinated. The number of new Covid-19 infections has dropped to under 50,000 per day, for three days straight.

This is good news!

The not-so-good news:

The demand for vaccines has declined sharply in the last few weeks, even though roughly 40% of Americans have not yet received even their first shot.

Current demand is down so much, that Pfizer has announced, that at the end of May it will start shipping its two-dose COVID-19 vaccine in smaller packages. The new packages will hold 25 vials with six doses each, rather than trays of 195 vials.

"On April 10, the US vaccination rate peaked at 4.6 million shots administered per day. It has dropped more than 50%, this week, averaging only 2.1 million per day." - USA TODAY

The contingent of unvaccinated Americans (those who have not received any shots at all) is largely made up of individuals who are not planning to get a vaccine.

A CNN poll on April 29 showed 26% of Americans say they will not be seeking the vaccine.

With those numbers, the growing concern among health professionals - that the US will not reach herd immunity - looms larger and larger.

Time to bring out the big guns!

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Here are some of the new incentives, announced in May:

Sports

• The National Football League is giving away 50 Super Bowl tickets to select fans who share their story on why they got vaccinated or will soon get vaccinated.
• Baseball’s New York teams, the Mets and the Yankees, will offer fans a free ticket if they get an on-site Johnson & Johnson shot.
• NASCAR’s “Race Back to the Track” digital sweepstakes is open to fans who are vaccinated or pledge to make a vaccine appointment. Through May 31, fans can visit NASCAR.com/VAX and enter to win tickets to the 2022 Daytona 500 on Feb. 20.

Cash

• Students at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ will get a $500 credit toward their courses and another $500 toward housing costs, if they are fully vaccinated by August 7.
• The state of Maryland has offered $100 to state employees who get vaccinated.
• Employees of Publix and Kroger grocery stores will be awarded a $125 and $100 gift card, respectively, to be used in-store, with proof of vaccination.
• Gov. Jim Justice of West Virginia has announced a plan to award all residents, between the ages of 16–35, a $100 savings bond if they get vaccinated (though on Monday, 5/3, he said the state was considering similar alternatives, as there is apparently a difficulty in setting up the bonds)
• Detroit is handing out $50 prepaid debit cards to anyone who drives another person to a vaccination site, with no limit on how much a person can earn doing this.

Chance to Win a New Car

The incentive generating the most buzz right now is offered by the city of Memphis, TN, announced by Mayor Jim Strickland.

"Any Shelby County resident who has been vaccinated for COVID-19 has a shot at winning a new vehicle of their choice among the following: a Chevy Camaro, Chevy Colorado, Nissan Rogue, Nissan Altima, or any similar vehicle of equal or lesser value."

That ought to get things rolling again!

So, Google your city, and see what incentives might be available for you to cash in on!

If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, the incentive to do so is growing by leaps and bounds, even as the risk to catch Covid-19 decreases.

Sometimes being a procrastinator has unexpected perks.

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https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/06/health/us-coronavirus-thursday/index.html

https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/local/how-getting-your-covid-vaccine-could-win-you-new-car/OIDEJSMWDFFKRJTYVR322Z36SY/

https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/sports/nascar/2021/05/07/nascar-announces-covid-19-vaccine-sweepstakes-win-daytona-500-tickets/4992172001/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2021/05/04/free-cash-bonds-and-booze-here-are-all-the-incentives-states-are-offering-to-get-vaccinated/?sh=2c74e29c5019

https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/health/2021/05/05/covid-19-vaccination-demand-us-slows-outreach-efforts-intensify/4924019001/

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/29/politics/cnn-poll-covid-vaccines/index.html

https://fox8.com/sports/nfl-offering-free-super-bowl-tickets-to-select-vaccinated-americans/