An American state will offer young people a reward of $ 100 if they agree to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
West Virginia uses this reward in the hope that young people between the ages of 16 and 35 will be “motivated” to receive the vaccine.
West Virginia is among the top states in the United States in terms of vaccination rates, but progress has slowed in recent weeks.
“Our children today probably don’t realize how important they are in completing this,” Gov. Jim Justice said Monday. There are particular concerns that young people may be more hesitant to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
Motivation means that those who are vaccinated in the age group can receive $ 100, plus interest, at a later date.
The amount will also be offered to anyone between the ages of 16 and 35 who has already been vaccinated, according to the BBC.
About 52 percent of the 1.5 million vaccine-eligible residents received at least one dose, Jim Justice said, but added that about 40 percent of the population may be reluctant to receive the vaccine.
“I’m trying to come up with a way to really motivate them and get over the problem,” he added.
These rewards will be funded by a $ 1.9 billion coronavirus aid package known as CARES, which went into effect in the United States last month.
The governor said the state had “verified this in every way” to ensure that the funds could be used legitimately for savings bonds.
Studies have shown that young adults are more likely to be reluctant to receive a COVID-19 vaccine than older people. About 25 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 say they want to “wait and see” before receiving a vaccine, compared to only 7 percent of those over the age of 65, according to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation conducted last month.
Currently, in the US, everyone over the age of 16 is eligible for vaccination. Just over half of all adults in the United States have received at least one dose of vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control reports.