Argentina records 41,080 new cases in one day as it happened – The Guardian

The first winner of Ohios first $1 million Vax-a-Million vaccination incentive prize was driving home when she received a call about the good news from the state governor Mike DeWine, AP reports.

A whirlwind, Abigail Bugenske, 22, said on Thursday morning during a news conference. It absolutely has not processed yet. I am still digesting it and I like to say that it feels like this is happening to a different person. I cannot believe it. Bugenske said she plans to donate to charities but then invest most of it.

The winner of a full college scholarship was eighth grader Joseph Costello of Englewood near Dayton. Very excited, Costello said as he sat between his parents, Colleen and Rich, during the virtual news conference. Although its a long way off, Joseph said hes thought about Ohio State or Miami of Ohio for college.

Bugenske said she received the Moderna vaccine as soon as she was eligible, long before the lottery was announced. The Costellos said they were already vaccinated and had planned to have their children vaccinated by the end of the month, but the lottery announcement inspired them to move those appointments up.

During a scheduled visit to Cleveland, the US president Joe Biden said, Ohio has a new millionaire! I tell you what, who wouldathunk it, a million bucks for getting a vaccine? But its working.

More than 2.7 million adults signed up for the $1 million prize and more than 104,000 children aged 12-17 entered the drawing for the scholarship, which includes tuition, room and board, and books. Four more $1 million and college scholarship winners will be announced each Wednesday for the next four weeks.

DeWine, a Republican, announced the program May 12 to boost lagging vaccination rates.

The Ohio Lottery conducted the first drawing Monday afternoon at its draw studio in Cleveland using a random number generator to pick the winners ahead of time, and then confirmed the eligibility of the ultimate winner.

Participants must register to enter by phone or via the Vax-a-Million website. Teens can register themselves, but parents or legal guardians must verify their eligibility. The names of entrants who dont win will be carried over week to week. The deadline for new registrations is just before midnight on Sunday.

I know that some may say, DeWine, youre crazy! This million-dollar drawing idea of yours is a waste of money, the governor said when he announced the incentive. But with the vaccine now readily available, the real waste, is a life lost to Covid-19, the governor said.

The concept seemed to work, at least initially. The number of people in Ohio aged 16+ who received their first dose jumped 33% in the week after the state announced the lottery, according to an Associated Press analysis.

But the same review also found that vaccination rates are still well below figures from earlier in April and March.

More than 5.2 million people in Ohio had at least started the vaccination process as of Monday, or about 45% of the state. About 4.6 million people are done getting vaccinated, or 39% of the state.

Nationally, more than 165 million Americans have started the vaccination process, or about nearly 50% of the population. More than 131 million are fully vaccinated, or nearly 40%.

Vax-a-Million is open to permanent Ohio residents who have received either the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine or their first part of the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccination.

DeWines proposal inspired similar vaccine-incentive lotteries in Colorado, Maryland, New York state and Oregon.

In Colorado, the Democratic governor Jared Polis said the state will have a weekly lottery for five residents to win $1 million to incentivise vaccinations. Colorado is setting aside $5 million of federal coronavirus relief funds that would have gone toward vaccine advertising for five residents to win $1 million each.

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Argentina records 41,080 new cases in one day as it happened - The Guardian