$1 million winner of Oregons COVID-19 vaccination lottery is a college student – OregonLive

Oregon State University student Chloe Zinda said she was in disbelief when she received a text message from the Oregon Health Authority -- the first indication that shed won the states $1 million jackpot for getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

Zinda, who was at work as a swim instructor, said she showed the text to one of her co-workers and then sent it to her relatives -- asking them all: Is this a scam?

Later in the day at her McMinnville home, she spoke by phone to state officials and learned that she indeed was Oregons newest millionaire. And probably among the youngest. She didnt state her age during a news conference Friday, but public records indicate shes 23 or 24.

I was so shocked, a beaming Zinda said, Gov. Kate Brown standing off to her side. I ran downstairs and was just screaming and running around. Yeah, it was insane.

Brown had announced the creation of theTake Your Shot, Oregon lottery campaign seven weeks ago as a strategy to increase slowing vaccinations. Although the campaign doesnt appear to have turned out to be the powerful motivator that state officials had hoped for -- with no statewide bump in inoculations that could be clearly attributed to the lottery incentive -- state officials still celebrated some overall victories.

Im just absolutely thrilled that more than 2.4 million Oregonians have gotten their first vaccination, Brown said.

Just over 70% of Oregon adults are at least partially inoculated. When accounting for all ages, 59% have been partially vaccinated and 54% have been fully vaccinated. Thats four to six percentage points ahead of the national average -- ranking Oregon 17th among states for partial vaccinations and 12th for full vaccinations.

Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen said the state aims to vaccinate 80% of adults of color by the end of August and ultimately 80% of all Oregonians who are adults.

Thats how well finally put the pandemic behind us, Allen said.

Allen didnt state a vaccination goal for children. Currently only those 12 and older are authorized by the federal government to receive vaccines.

He thanked Zinda and millions of others for getting their shots.

Zinda was randomly selected on June 28 from more than 2.2 million adults in Oregon who received at least one dose of vaccine by June 27.

The state also selected five vaccinated youth ages 12 to 17 as recipients of $100,000 college scholarships and 36 adults whod won $10,000 a piece -- one in each of the states three dozen counties. At least 10 counties also sweetened the offerings by using federal coronavirus relief money to hand out more prizes to vaccinated residents -- ranging from $2,500 to $20,000. Washington County, the only in the Portland area to do so, decided to award 10 additional prizes of $10,000 each and five additional college scholarships of $20,000 each.

But the state Friday announced only Zindas $1 million win and hasnt said who the other winners are yet. Officials havent said precisely when they will do so, but said the news will be shared in coming weeks as winners are notified. They gave no explanation for the delay in notifying winners or announcing their names, and previously said theyd hoped to make the announcements by the end of this week.

Its not clear whether Zinda was vaccinated before or after the governors May 21 announcement that she was creating a lottery to encourage more inoculations. During the news conference held on Zoom, reporters were able to ask only three questions -- apparently because of technological difficulties -- before officials ended it.

Zinda didnt respond to a request for an interview afterward, and a spokesman for the governors office said she wasnt available. The governors office and the Oregon Health Authority werent able to answer or didnt immediately respond Friday to several questions The Oregonian/OregonLive posed by email, including about Zindas age and when she was vaccinated.

Zinda said she had never imagined getting vaccinated would lead her to position before the podium Friday. She said she decided to get immunized for many reasons, including to protect the youngsters she teaches how to swim.

She plans to spend the money paying off college debt and pursuing an art career by opening an art studio.

This money is really going to life-changing for me, Zinda said. ... Im just really excited for what the future holds.

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-- Aimee Green; agreen@oregonian.com; @o_aimee

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$1 million winner of Oregons COVID-19 vaccination lottery is a college student - OregonLive