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More Prizes Could Be Offered for Vaccinated Ohioans

Vax-a-Million logo
Ohio Department of Health
/
Ohio Department of Health
The state's effort to persuade those who have yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to get the shots will continue beyond the Vax-a-Million lottery, with Gov. Mike DeWine saying more incentives from the private sector will be announced soon.

There are only two weeks left for Vax-a-Million, the state’s weekly drawings in which vaccinated Ohioans can win $1 million or a full-ride college experience. But Gov. Mike DeWine is hinting there might be some new prizes coming in the future. 

He says he’s been talking with Ohio businesses to see what they can come up with that might help increase vaccination rates.  

“We have some additional incentives that the private sector has been working on. We hope to announce those in the next few days," DeWine said.

The Vax-a-Million drawings will end this month. And when they do, five Ohio adults will have won $1 million each and five students under 18 will have won college scholarships. DeWine credits those prizes for convincing hesitant Ohioans to get vaccines. Right now, more than 46% of Ohioans have started the vaccine process, but medical experts say that number needs to be much higher to achieve herd immunity. 
Copyright 2021 The Statehouse News Bureau. To see more, visit The Statehouse News Bureau.

Jo Ingles
Jo Ingles is a professional journalist who covers politics and Ohio government for the Ohio Public Radio and Television for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau. She reports on issues of importance to Ohioans including education, legislation, politics, and life and death issues such as capital punishment.