Ohio saw a “dramatic increase” in vaccination rate since the announcement of the “Vax-a-Million” lottery by Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, the state Department of Health announced Tuesday.
Vaccinations had fallen by 25% the weekend of May 7 to May 10, compared to the weekend of April 30 to May 3, according to the Ohio Department of Health. Over the weekend following DeWine’s May 13 announcement, however, new vaccinations for the same age group saw a 28% increase.
Since announcing #OhioVaxAMillion, @OHDeptofHealth has collected around 1 million entries and preliminary data shows that vaccination rates continue to grow! Vaccinated Ohioans can enter to win at https://t.co/Svppf9cYKe or 833-4-ASK-ODH. #InThisTogetherOhio pic.twitter.com/DPL2lPhHVn
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) May 20, 2021
A total of about 1 million Ohio residents have entered the drawing as of Thursday, DeWine said in a tweet.
“This dramatic increase in vaccinations indicates that the Vax-a-Million drawing has been impactful in creating momentum for vaccinations throughout Ohio,” Director of the Ohio Department of Health Stephanie McCloud said, according to the Tuesday statement.
“We are grateful that the drawings are helping spur Ohioans to take this important measure to protect their health, their loved ones, and their community. Vaccines are our best tool to return to the lives we remember from before the pandemic,” she added.
The first drawing of the lottery, which will distribute $1 million to each of five winners over the span of five weeks, is scheduled for May 26. All vaccinated state residents over the age of 18 are eligible to enter. (RELATED: Chinese Sinopharm Vaccine So Ineffective That A Third Injection Is Being Rolled Out)
The state has also announced drawings for “five four-year, full-ride scholarships, including room and board, tuition, and books, to any Ohio state college or university” available for vaccinated residents aged 12 to 17, according to WJW.
Tens of thousands of teenagers have already entered the lottery, the Ohio Department of Health said in the announcement.
Inspired by the preliminary success of “Vax-a-Million” in Ohio, New York and Maryland have announced similar incentivization programs, according to The Hill.