Delaware is enticing its residents with a chance to win prizes in exchange for getting the COVID vaccine. NBC10’s Tim Furlong spoke to locals in the community and has their reactions.
If you live in Delaware, you could be eligible to win $302,000 in cash just for receiving your COVID-19 vaccine.
Or you might win $5,000 in cash in twice-weekly drawings -- or other prizes.
The prizes are part of a new initiative, called “DE Wins!,” which the state launched on May 25 to provide public education and incentives for vaccination. Small businesses will also offer incentives to Delawareans who get their shots, according to a state news release.
"The simple message here is that Delaware wins when everybody gets vaccinated," Gov. John Carney said at a COVID news briefing.
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One group of prizes targets Delawareans 18 and older who get vaccinated between May 25 and June 29. Those people will be entered for a chance to win one of two $5,000 cash prizes each week. Or, they could win a four-day vacation, Firefly Music Festival tickets or free tolls in the state of Delaware.
Another group of prizes targets young people aged 12 to 17 vaccinated at any time. They could win a full scholarship to a public Delaware university. Or they could win prizes that include packages from Funland in Rehoboth, the Wilmington Blue Rocks and the Delmarva Shorebirds.
Carney announced three new prizes for the DE Wins! Raffle on June 10, as the First State approaches its goal of 70% of adults receiving at least one dose by July 4.
Wilmington University will award a full undergraduate and graduate scholarship, including tuition and fees. Two free tickets to every show at The Grand during the 2021-2022 season are also up for grabs.
“We are getting closer to our goal of having 70 percent of Delaware adults vaccinated with at least one dose by July 4,” Carney said in a news release. “To make that final push, we are adding new prizes to the DE Wins raffle. All of these prizes celebrate places that people love in our state, and experiences you can get back to safely once you’re vaccinated."
As of June 9, 67.6% of Delaware adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Delaware Lottery will conduct the drawings on Mondays and Fridays from May 31 to June 30, according to the release.
On June 30, to wrap up the campaign, the state will enter every vaccinated Delaware resident into a drawing for a $302,000 cash prize and two low-number Delaware license plates. The drawing will be conducted by the Delaware Lottery.
The Delaware Division of Small Businesses also launched the Small Business Incentive Fund to reimburse qualifying businesses, such as restaurants, bars, breweries and gyms, for incentives they give to vaccinated people.
Delawareans who receive the vaccine at locations managed by the Delaware Division of Public Health and the Delaware Emergency Management Agency between May 25 and June 29 will also receive a $10 gift card.