Bill de Blasio, New York City Mayor, has announced $100 (N40,016) incentive to residents who visit a city-run vaccination site for their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, starting from July 30.
The mayor made the announcement on Wednesday at a press conference.
“It does not get better than that,” de Blasio said.
The announcement comes days after he said all city workers would have to be vaccinated or go through strict weekly testing protocols.
Beginning from Friday, the cash reward will be handed out to city residents and employees who make an appointment at city-run vaccination sites.
Also at the press conference, an official said first-time shot takers will either be mailed a pre-paid debit card, or be issued a digital one immediately via email.
“I personally believe that the guarantee that right then and there you’re going to be rewarded, I think that’s going to make a big difference to people,” the mayor stated.
When asked about those who have already been vaccinated, de Blasio thanked them for doing “the right thing”.
“It was the right thing to do for yourself, for your family, for your community. You did the right thing and the reward is you were kept safe and you’re alive because of it”, he noted.
“But, we understand it’s been a huge amount of misinformation … particularly through social media getting anything but the truth. We got a lot we’ve got to overcome.”
More than nine million doses of the vaccine are said to have been administered already in the US city.
The mayor added that over 59 per cent of the city’s population has received at least one COVID-19 shot, but argued that it is not enough.
“That misinformation, that fear has hurt,” he stressed.
“And what’s in all of our interest is to get every single additional person vaccinated.”
