OHIO — Health departments in Ohio’s major metropolitan areas are hoping $100 incentives help increase immunization rates among their residents, officials said. 

In Cuyahoga County, officials plan to begin making a $100 vaccine incentive available in the coming weeks, according to Kevin Brennan, spokesperson for the Cuyahoga County Board of Health. 

Brennan said some vaccine clinics in the county have already offered $25 or $50 gift cards, but said the new $100 reward will be available to a wider population with the support of funding through the state.

“We're in dialogue with the state, and we're looking at some sort of implementation in the next 2-3 weeks,” he said. “Timelines can shift, but that is our anticipated timeline at this point.”

Details were not yet available as to how much funding would be directed toward the vaccine incentives, Brennan said. 

Public Health – Dayton & Montgomery County was the latest health department to offer a $100 vaccine incentive, announcing Wednesday that five of its clinics would distribute gift cards to residents beginning the vaccination process. 

“The incentive is being offered to help motivate the unvaccinated to receive the vaccine as quickly as possible to reduce the recent surge of severe illness and hospitalization,” Health Commissioner Jeff Cooper said in a statement.

Ohio Health Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, during a press conference Thursday, said that health departments across Ohio have seen success from their incentive programs.

“Our local health departments are best positioned to work with their communities, and offer some incentives for vaccination for some of the people who may be on the fence, and therefore, we have worked in advancing dollars that ultimately have come to us from the federal government for the purpose of supporting a response to COVID-19,” he said. 

The state has informed local health departments that they can use previously provided coronavirus relief and immunization funding toward incentives, Ohio Department of Health spokesperson Alicia Shoults clarified.

While some counties are just now rolling out vaccine incentives, Columbus Public Health’s “Vax Cash” program, which has offered $100 gift cards to Franklin County residents since July 6, officially ended Friday, health department spokesperson Kelli Newman said in an email.

The health department is no longer offering the gift cards at community-based locations. However, Newman said they will continue to distribute the remaining gift cards to those who get vaccinated at Columbus Public Health.

The department gave out more than 13,600 gift cards, Columbus Health Commissioner Dr. Mysheika Roberts told reporters Wednesday. She said the incentive was a model to other counties in the state.

“We have appreciated getting more people in our community vaccinated. And again, while supplies last, we will continue that program to get more people vaccinated,” she said. 

Other Ohio health departments that have offered $100 vaccine incentives include Summit County Public Health and Hamilton County Public Health.

Health officials in all of the counties are urging residents to get vaccinated as soon as possible to protect themselves from the virus and take advantage of the rewards while supply is still available.