Vaccine Incentives Abound for Those Who Get COVID Shot Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again. × Search search POPULAR SEARCHES SUGGESTED LINKS Join AARP for just $9 per year when you sign up for a 5-year term. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Leaving AARP.org Website You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply.
Vaccine Freebies Abound for Those Who Get the Shot
Incentives include a chance at $1 million in Ohio free food and drink tickets to events
Getty Images These days you can get free doughnuts, a beer on the house, tickets to an amusement park, a no-cost hunting license or cold, hard cash if you get a . President Biden is doubling down on his call to get 70 percent of Americans at least partially vaccinated by July 4. To get there, the White House is partnering with businesses and organizations to incentivize people to get the shots, with additional freebies that include childcare, gift cards and a chance at free flights. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. States are doing their part, too: One of the most debated — and successful — incentives is Ohio’s Vax-a-Million campaign, which allows vaccinated adults to enter a drawing for one of five $1 million awards, or for residents between 12 and 17 years old, one of five four-year scholarships to an Ohio state school, including room and board, tuition and books. An Associated Press analysis determined that vaccinations in the state were up 33 percent after the vaccine lottery was announced. Carl Hunnel, 60, the city editor for the Richland Source news organization based in Mansfield, Ohio, already has been vaccinated but says he’ll be signing up for the lottery. “I’ve already got the shot, so if they say go to this website and fill this out ... I’d be dumb not to,” he says. Tangible encouragements are seen as just the nudge some reluctant vaccine takers need. Emily Largent, an assistant professor of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania, says using diverse incentives — ranging from free food to cash and gift cards — will encourage people with different motivations to . The offers may be particularly helpful for younger people or those without preexisting conditions who are less concerned about the public health benefits of vaccinations. "The variety is probably good, just like how everybody wants something different at a smorgasbord,” Largent says. “We give people more options and hopefully encourage more people to come along.” Some won't be swayed by freebies, particularly those who are wary of vaccines, she says: “There are a lot of reasons why people aren't getting vaccinated, and incentives will not help with all of those reasons." For those who want to go all in and get the most out of their vaccinations, here's some of what's being offered: Employer incentives
Many in some form or fashion, from paid time off to gift cards or cash. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Entertainment $3 off popcorn and soft drink combos See more Entertainment offers > And then there’s cash. A few months ago, the Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort in D’Iberville, Mississippi, began giving hourly employees — around 800 of them — $300 in cash each to get fully vaccinated. If employees get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, they’ll get the full amount all at once. If they get one of the two-dose shots from Pfizer or Moderna, they’ll get $150 for each dose, says Vicki Haskins, the casino’s director of promotions, events and entertainment. “A lot of our associates took advantage of it,” she says. The casino is making it even easier on employees by running a vaccination clinic on the property, open to employees and their immediate families. Noam Galai / Getty Images Tasty snacks and drinks
Starting in late March, Krispy Kreme was one of the first businesses to offer a lip-smacking incentive to get people vaccinated, giving customers free glazed doughnuts every day for the rest of the year. For more of a meal, if you get your shot at a mobile vaccination site in New York City you can now get a voucher for a Shake Shack burger, and starting June 12, you can get a free order of crinkle fries if you show your vaccine card. If hot dogs are more your style, Nathan's Famous will give you a free dog at its Coney Island, New York, location if you stop by the same day you get your vaccination — with proof, of course. Entertainment
It’s been a long time since people have been able to enjoy entertainment that’s not on a screen. Fully vaccinated Chicagoans only can get access to the city’s summer concert series, which kicked off May 22 in Hyde Park. Also in Illinois, Six Flags Great America announced it will donate 50,000 tickets to two of its amusements parks for those who are newly vaccinated in the state. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. , but there’s still debate over whether that is recommended. Dating apps such as Match, Hinge and Bumble are offering premium content access to users who showcase their vaccination status on the app. State incentives
It's hard to beat Ohio's chance at a million bucks, but other states are getting in on the game, too. For the already vaccinated and the soon-to-be vaccinated, West Virginia will give a $100 savings bond to every resident between 16 and 35 years old. California’s governor launched Vax for the Win, offering a series of cash prizes through the summer, including $50,000 to 30 winners and $1.5 million to 10 lucky winners. Not from California, Ohio or West Virginia? of more cash and prize incentives. People line up to receive a free marijuana cigarette after showing proof of a COVID-19 vaccination at Union Square on April 20, 2021 in New York City. Spencer Platt / Getty Images Beer and weed
Anheuser-Busch promises one free beer to everyone who is 21 or older on July 4 if the U.S. reaches 70 percent of adults at least partially vaccinated. Similarly, the governor of Illinois signed a bill on June 2 to allow businesses that sell alcohol to offer customers a free drink with proof of vaccination. In several cities, including Washington, D.C., marijuana legalization advocacy groups have been doling out free joints or bags of marijuana to those who show proof of vaccination, dubbing the effort #jointsforjabs. The website Pot in Illinois is tracking a list of places to get these special freebies. Editor's note: This article was originally published on May 14. It's been updated to reflect new information. More on health AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS