Governor Mike Parson announced the launch of a statewide COVID-19 vaccination incentive program, MO VIP, to encourage vaccination among all Missourians age 12 and up.
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Over the next three months, 900 Missourians who have or will choose to be vaccinated will win cash or education savings account prizes in the amount of $10,000.
"We understand that the some Missourians are hesitant towards getting the vaccine, but we must all take personal responsibility and do right by our own health and that of our friends and family by getting vaccinated," Governor Parson said.
"This new program will complement our existing efforts to educate Missourians about the importance of getting the vaccine. Our current COVID-19 situation is serious. This Delta variant transmits faster than what we have previously seen and is more likely to impact children and the unvaccinated, so now is the perfect opportunity to get vaccinated and earn your shot at $10,000."
After months of leading the nation with one of the lowest COVID-19 case rates, the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) entered Missouri and, due to its high level of transmissibility, quickly became the dominant strain in the state and nation. The most effective way to be protected from COVID-19 in any form is through vaccination.
The MO VIP incentivizes vaccination for those who have not yet been vaccinated as well as provides an opportunity for rewards for the 2.8 million Missourians who have already made the decision to be protected through vaccination.
Missourians who have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine are now able to enter to win one of the 900 prizes. The first drawing will be on August 13; drawings will occur every two weeks with the final drawing scheduled for October 8.
Once Missouri residents receive a dose, they become eligible to enter the sweepstakes at MOStopsCovid.com/win. Once Missourians enter, their entry will be carried over through all the drawings. There is no need to enter more than once. The entry list will be reviewed, and duplicate entries will be removed prior to each drawing. A winner must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:
• Must be a living citizen of the United States and a permanent resident of the State of Missouri.
• Must be age 12 or older.
• Must have received at least the first COVID-19 vaccination if receiving the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or one dose if receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, prior to the drawing date (records will be verified).
Those ineligible include the Governor and First Lady, individuals currently incarcerated on the basis of a felony conviction, statewide elected officials, members of the U.S. Congress and Missouri General Assembly, appointees of Governor Mike Parson, employees of the Office of Governor Mike Parson, the Office of the Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the Missouri Lottery, and the Office of Administration (and members of ineligible individuals’ households).
Entries will be divided into three categories:
• Red: Missourians age 18 and up receiving at least one dose of vaccine after July 21.
• White: Missourians age 18 and up receiving at least one dose of vaccine before July 21.
• Blue: Missourians ages 12 to 17 receiving at least one dose of vaccine at any time.
Eighty winners will be randomly selected during each drawing from the Red and White categories (10 from each congressional district).
These individuals will each receive a cash prize of $10,000. During each drawing, 20 adolescents from the Blue category will be randomly selected to receive a $10,000 education savings account through the Missouri State Treasurer’s MOST 529 program.
This means every two weeks of the program, 180 Missourians will be winners for a total of 900 individuals. These preliminary winners will all have their vaccination status verified.
To allow time for records and eligibility to be verified, confirmed winners will be announced two weeks following each drawing. Entries will be accepted online until 11:59 p.m. two days prior to each drawing. Official rules, frequently asked questions, and a program timeline are available at MOStopsCovid.com/win.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) is partnering with Missouri Lottery to conduct a fair and secure program with a randomized selection process. DHSS is using federally funded Coronavirus Relief Funds to fund this campaign. This funding was approved under previous and current federal administrations for broad COVID-19 response purposes to include efforts to boost vaccine uptake.
Additionally, local public health agencies that administer COVID-19 vaccines will now be eligible to provide a financial incentive of up to $25 for each vaccine recipient, up to a total of $11 million.
This program would provide incentives for administrators to pass along to recipients for 440,000 vaccines administered across Missouri and would sunset on December 31, 2021. Local public health agencies are able to partner with enrolled COVID-19 vaccinators within the State of Missouri to be part of this program.
Vaccinators should apply by August 15 and can learn more about this opportunity at MOStopsCovid.com/vaccinators. This portion of incentives is being funded by CDC Immunizations grant funding. ■