The U.S. state of Ohio is getting creative when it comes to encouraging people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has gone beyond other states that are giving away free baseball tickets and beer to people who get vaccinated by holding a $1 million U.S. prize draw.
The move comes as U.S. political leaders grow increasingly desperate to persuade Americans to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
DeWine, a Republican Governor, said five Ohio residents would win the $1-million prize money in once-a-week draws held for adults who have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The money for the prize draws will come from pandemic relief funds.
Roughly 117 million Americans, more than one-third of the U.S. population, have now been fully inoculated against COVID-19, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
However, the pace of vaccinations has slowed in recent weeks due to skepticism about the medication and declining infection rates. The number of Americans seeking vaccinations has dropped by a third in recent weeks, according to the CDC.
New Jersey and Connecticut have made deals with bars to offer a free drink to vaccinated people. Maryland state employees who get inoculated are given $100. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the Mets and Yankees baseball clubs would hand out free tickets to fans who get inoculated at their baseball stadiums before games.
Many U.S. states were expected this week to begin inoculating children aged 12 to 15 with the vaccine manufactured by Pfizer after a CDC panel approved the plan.
