Butte is offering people an incentive for getting their COVID-19 vaccination: money.
In an announcement this morning, the county has teamed up with the Town Pump Charitable Foundation to start a COVID-19 vaccine sweepstakes that will involve weekly drawings throughout this summer to offer cash to the winners.
People who have already been vaccinated or get vaccinated will automatically be registered for the drawing that includes two $10,000 winners and three $5,000 winners.
“Some days I feel like Vanna White winning cash, but you know to me, whatever gets people vaccinated in our community, getting our community healthy and safe and getting back to normal, it's a small price to pay,” said Director of Butte Health Department Karen Sullivan.
The first drawing will take place June 24 and winners will be announced every Thursday until the final drawing on September 30.
This is far from being the first agency to offer an incentive, as public health agencies continue to encourage "vaccine hesitant" people to get vaccinated.
Across the country, some businesses have offered free donuts, others have offered free beer, and the state of Ohio has offered a really big incentive: a chance at winning one million dollars. The state of New York recently announced a potentially bigger incentive: "Get vaccinated and you'll get a chance to win $5 million."