OHIO — Ohio's Vax-a-Million lottery wrapped up with winners from both southwest and northeast Ohio.
What You Need To Know
- 92,365 received the first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine the week before the lottery was announced
- 187,238 had received it one week after the incentive announcement
- Dental assistant Esperanza Diaz and middle school student Sydney Daum were the final Vax-a-Million winners
- Talks have occurred with those across the state in the private sector about future incentives
Looking back, Gov. Mike DeWine (R) said the lottery was a success.
Statewide vaccinations saw an increase after the Vax-a-Million was announced to take place.
The week before the lottery was announced, 92,365 first shots of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered compared to the 187,238 that were administered the week after the announcement.
It's possible that Ohioans could see additional incentives in the future.
DeWine noted that Ohioans expressed that smaller, but greater in number incentives would be helpful in spurring them to get vaccinated.
It's not clear if and when more incentives will be rolled out, but the governor did say people should stay tuned.
Concerned about those who are still holding out or not planning to get vaccinated at all, DeWine said they'll keep targeting schools, doctor's offices and underserved communities to bring awareness about the risks of not being vaccinated.
In the meantime, the aim is to continue boosting vaccination rates, especially among the 12- to 17-year-old population.