New York City, after offering free railway and subway tickets along with vaccinations, is now offering citizens $100 to get vaccinated against COVID-19, following a new surge in cases in the US, being fuelled mainly by the Delta variant, first detected in India.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio launched this incentive for the vaccine-hesitant on Wednesday. De Blasio said, “The key is vaccination. We can talk about so many other issues with COVID, but if we're not talking about vaccination then we're not talking about the solution.”
“You want a recovery? You need vaccination. Whatever it is, you want to enjoy life to the fullest? You need vaccination,” he added.
De Blasio, on July 27, announced a vaccine mandate for health care workers and all public sector employees and said that unless they are vaccinated by mid-September, they would be subject to weekly testing or face termination.
According to the New York City health department, 66 per cent of adults in the city have been fully vaccinated. The CDC (Centres for Disease Control), on Tuesday mandated that vaccinated people should wear masks indoors in areas with a high transmission rate.
Authorities in the US, in recent months, have offered various incentives for the vaccine-hesitant. Virginia Governor Jim Justice in May said he would give a $100 savings bond to youngsters who got their jabs. The State of New Jersey, in May, encouraged people to get vaccination shots by giving them a chance at getting a free beer once they get a jab—they could visit any participating brewery in the state through May.
On May 12, President Joe Biden announced that from May 24 to July 4, Uber and Lyft will provide free rides to vaccine centres.
