Last week, the Trends Journal reported how states are offering cash, booze, and cars to motivate Americans to get vaccinated. (See our article, “GET JABBED, GET PAID.”)
Upping the incentive significantly, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced last Thursday that his state’s lottery would give away $1 million to five people who participate in the new “get vaccinated” initiative.
The first million-dollar prizes will be awarded on 26 May. The lottery incentive is controversial, however, as the money give-away will come from COVID relief funds provided by the federal government.
The governor tweeted:
“I know that some may say, ‘DeWine, you’re crazy!’ This million-dollar drawing idea of yours is a waste of money.’ But truly, the real waste at this point in the pandemic — when the vaccine is readily available to anyone who wants it — is a life lost to COVID-19.”
The Columbus Dispatch reported last Wednesday that the state will offer an additional lottery-vaccination incentive to prospective college students. Teens who can prove being vaccinated will be eligible to participate in a state lottery offering five all tuition-paid scholarships to any Ohio public university.
Coinciding with the lottery announcement, DeWine stated that beginning on 2 June, he was removing all lockdown impositions except for elder care facilities.
To date, Ohio’s rate of vaccination is about equal to that nationwide, which is 35 percent. To date, about 19,500 residents have died from COVID-19 out of a population of 11.8 million or 0.165 percent.
One Ohio politician angry over the lottery-vaccination incentive is state congressman Jim Jordan, who tweeted last week, “We’ve gone from 15 days to slow the spread to $1 million if you get the #COVID19 vaccine. Give me a break.”
TREND FORECAST: As the weather warms – and the virus, which spikes during winter months, slows down – so, too, will vaccination rates decline.
The lower the vaccination rate falls, the more money and pressure will be exerted on people to get the jab. Last Friday, for example, Delta Air Lines declared all new hires in the U.S. must get the COVID Jab, calling the vaccines “safe, effective and essential to the future of the airline and our world.”
But Jab hesitancy prevails – and will continue to prevail – even in nations moving into the cold season. In Australia for example, The New Daily headline story yesterday blared:
Anti-vaxxer Facebook groups explode in number amid vaccine hesitancy
Yes, anyone in any country who dares to question the efficacy and side effects of an “Operation Warped Speed” vaccine not yet approved by the FDA is denounced by the Presstitutes as ill-informed conspiracy theorists.
The New Daily wrote,
“Even as social media giants crack down on harmful misinformation, including deleting prominent pages and slapping on new warnings and fact-check labels, critics say dangerous conspiracy theories are still festering in private groups and seeping into the mainstream.”
Indeed, they cited a University of Melbourne poll in February that found 66 percent of Australians were happy to get the COVID jab, down from 74 percent in October 2020.
Again, there will be a slowdown in forcing vaccinations for the time being, but the pressure to get one will continue as those without a vaccine passport will be discriminated against, as evidenced by various cruise lines, concerts, school attendance, etc.
Despite the push for mass vaccinations, we also maintain our forecast for anti-vax movements that will challenge the political establishment.