Gov. Jim Justice (R-W. Va.) is encouraging residents of his state to get the COVID-19 vaccine, promising they will receive prizes, including “five custom hunting rifles.”
“We’re gonna give five custom hunting rifles and five custom hunting shotguns away on Father’s Day. And also on Father’s Day, we’re gonna make one of you a millionaire,” Justice said on Tuesday.
He added, “We’re gonna give away a million dollars to somebody on Father’s Day. That’s it and then we’re gonna continue that right along, absolutely and this is for all people that have been vaccinated.”
Watch his comments below:
"We're gonna give five custom hunting rifles and five custom hunting shotguns away on Father's Day. And also on Father's Day, we're gonna make one of you a millionaire."
— The Recount (@therecount) June 1, 2021
—Gov. Jim Justice (R-WV) announces new incentives to get vaccinated pic.twitter.com/oCSqGTnxeB
Several states and cities have announced incentives for their residents to get vaccinated. Some of the incentives include cash prizes and even a certain number of fishing and hunting licenses.
Justice also announced in April residents aged 16 to 35 can receive a $100 savings bond. Others believe cash incentives are a waste of taxpayer dollars.
On May 13, Ohio launched the Vax-a-Million campaign in hopes of increasing “awareness of the availability and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and provide incentives to Ohioans to get a COVID-19 vaccination,” as IJR reported.
Ohio state Rep. Jena Powell (R) told CNN, “The Vax-a-Million lottery is a gross misuse of taxpayer dollars.”
She added, “It feels like a bribe to Ohioans … [They] don’t want gimmicky programs.”
Companies are also offering employees incentives to get the vaccine, including cash, paid time off, and other financial incentives, as Axios reports.
Dollar General, Kroger, Petco, Target, and Walmart are a few of the companies offering employees cash stipends if they get vaccinated.
According to the U.C.L.A. Covid-19 Health and Politics Project, around a third of unvaccinated people said a cash prize would make it more likely that they would get vaccinated, as The New York Times reports.