New York will offer free lottery tickets to those who get a dose of the coronavirus vaccine at certain state-run sites, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday.
Ten locations will offer the free tickets from the New York State lottery, which typically cost $20.
“Today we announce a big new reason to get vaccinated: A chance to win up to $5 million!” Cuomo said in a Thursday tweet.
YANKEES AND METS OFFER FREE TICKETS IN RETURN FOR GETTING COVID-19 VACCINE
Those who receive their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine or a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine between May 24 and May 28 at one of the clinics will be eligible for the tickets.
Thirteen winners will receive a prize, according to the governor. Those prizes will range from $20 to $5 million.
It is unclear how the state plans to pay for the initiative, though it appears the program will be run through New York’s existing state lottery. The Washington Examiner reached out to the governor’s office for more information but did not immediately receive a response.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
New York is not the first state to use a monetary giveaway as an incentive for coronavirus vaccinations. Ohio will use $5 million in federal coronavirus relief for five vaccine lotteries, Gov. Mike DeWine announced on May 12.
In New York, 51% of the population has received at least one dose of the vaccine. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the state has reported over 2 million cases of the virus and over 52,500 deaths as a result of it.
