Should Michigan Incentivize Booster Shots Like NYC?
Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that NYC residents who get their booster shots by Dec. 31 are eligible for a cash incentive. This is a limited-time cash offer of $100 to encourage more residents to get their booster shots. Should Michigan follow suit?
The omicron variant is the latest COVID-19 strain. Many cities within the United States have a high number of positive cases and are seeing a greater number of hospitalizations.
Michigan announced a statewide goal to have 1 million more Michiganders receive the COVID-19 booster by Jan. 31, 2022. Governor Gretchen Whitmer stated,
"As Omicron becomes the dominant COVID-19 variant in the United States, we all have to step up this holiday season to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe."
Michigan has reported eight cases of the omicron variant. Michigan’s first case of the omicron variant was detected Dec. 9 in a fully vaccinated Kent County resident more than a week after the variant was first reported in the United States on Dec. 1.
The first known death related to the Omicron variant in the United States was reported in Houston on Monday.
President Biden told Americans that he understands "how tired, worried and frustrated you are" about the latest COVID-19 case surge in the U.S. He announced the government plans to buy a half-billion at-home COVID test kits and mail them to people who want them, with deliveries beginning in January.
The President also offered reassurance,
"This is not March of 2020. Two hundred million people are fully vaccinated. We're prepared. We know more."
Last week, Michigan, Michigan State and Wayne State Universities announced students, faculty and staff will be required to receive a COVID-19 booster before the start of the next semester. So far Whitmer hasn't issued mandates. She also has not spoken of bonuses for boosters.
In July of 2021, Whitmer announced the "Shot to Win Sweepstakes” to incentivize vaccinations among Michigan residents. In addition to college scholarships, the state offered a lottery to win a share of $5 million.
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