MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) – Residents who do not wish to receive the COVID-19 vaccine may soon have a chance to win prizes if they take the plunge.
Mobile County’s health officer, Dr. Bert Eichold told FOX10 News that he hopes to introduce an incentive program within the next week to 10 days. Details have yet to be worked out, but he envisions identifying the names of newly vaccinated people who would win prizes like restaurant meals and maybe even cruises.
“We’re working on some details in Mobile County,” he said. “But it’s really exciting and there are ways to encourage young people to discover the benefits of a full vaccination.”
The emerging program comes as health and political leaders across the state and country grapple with ways to increase participation among young people. State data shows that less than 20 percent of Alabamians under 50 have even had an injection.
Birmingham City Council President William Parker has proposed a similar idea in Alabama’s largest city. Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris told Alabama Public Television over the weekend that he was watching a vaccine lottery.
Other states offer drawings for prizes. Ohio recently awarded its first $ 1 million payout to its “Vax-a-Million” vaccine lottery. People under the age of 18 have the chance to win scholarships. Colorado has a similar million dollar vaccine sweepstakes. California offers 30 residents the chance to win $ 50,000, 10 of which will be $ 1.5 million. Other incentives are prepaid grocery cards.
Illinois is partnering with Six Flags Great America to offer 50,000 free tickets. In New Jersey, people can get a free state park pass and some win a dinner with the governor. West Virginia has announced a vaccination lottery where rifles and shotguns can be won.
A big question for Alabama, however, is it legal in a state that bans lotteries in its constitution. State Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Daphne) said he thinks it could be.
He called it a “gimmick” that could actually undermine confidence in the vaccine. He added that this was one reason he was in favor of a measure that would have curtailed the powers of the state health commissioner. This law ultimately failed.
“My concern is that you have a public health officer here who is understandably trying to make sure people get vaccinated,” he said. “But when you start to leave your area of responsibility and look at something that is currently completely unconstitutional. That’s, that’s really a bit alarming. “
Some legal experts say an vaccination lottery is likely legal. John Carroll, a professor at the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in Birmingham, noted that the federal penal code defines lottery as a “scheme” in which players “pay or agree to pay for opportunities”.
“In this situation, it doesn’t look like anyone is paying anything to me,” he said. “It’s really an incentive to get a vaccine. There is nothing illegal about it, it certainly does not fit the definition of illegal lottery that is in the Criminal Code. … These are essentially gifts, which is fine. “
Eichold’s idea is not a cash lottery. He said there was no money for that.
“We have to be careful with that,” he said. “That wouldn’t be a lottery. It would be a drawing. “
Carroll compared a vaccine lottery that doesn’t ask people to pay for incentives that companies and other organizations sometimes offer to encourage attendance at meetings. He said he personally attended meetings where attendees were given tickets. At the end of the meeting, the organizers draw the names of the people who win Auburn or University of Alabama football tickets.
“This is, you know, an incentive to keep people with you for the rest of the meeting because you have to be there to win,” he said.
Eichold said the number of prizes awarded as part of the Ministry of Health’s incentive program will depend on the number of companies participating. But he said he had offers.
“The industry is very supportive of people being healthy and fully vaccinated and protected, and the travel industry in particular,” he said.
Eichold noted that some companies had already offered their customers incentives to vaccinate. Some cafes offer free cups of coffee, he said. Krispy Kreme says it has more than 1.5 million donuts distributed to people who have been vaccinated.
Eichold said he hoped the idea would resonate across Alabama.
“It’s a dynamic process,” he said. “We’d love to see something progress across the country.”
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