California To Allocate $116 Million To Encourage Vaccination

California State Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday announced a decision to offer US$116.5 million in prize money to stimulate residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

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The State will give $50 gift cards for grocery or other uses to the first 2 million Californians who get shots. Meanwhile, all those aged 12 or older who received at least a dose will be eligible for the prize money drawing in June.

The top ten winners will receive US$1.5 million each on June 15, the first day of the state's reopening. Another 30 people will take a US$50,000 prize on June 4 and 11.

"Getting every eligible Californian vaccinated is how we bring our state roaring back from this pandemic," Newsom said, noting that his state has made big progress in the fight against COVID-19, with the lowest case rates in the country and doses administered millions more than any other state.

Last week, Newsom unveiled plans to fully reopen California's economy on June 15 amid dropping cases and vaccine eligibility expansion in his state, once the country's epicenter.

Home to around 40 million residents, the state has confirmed over 3.67 million COVID-19 cases and 61,855 related deaths to date.

Over 62.8 percent of Californians aged 12 or older are at least partially vaccinated, but an estimated 12 million people who are eligible still have not gotten a vaccine.