Missouri considers offering vaccine incentives

Signs hang on a fence for Mother's Brewing Company's COVID-19 vaccine clinic in partnership with the Springfield-Greene County Health Department and Jordan Valley Community Health Center on Tuesday, June 22, 2021, in Springfield, Mo. (Nathan Papes/The Springfield News-Leader via AP)
Signs hang on a fence for Mother's Brewing Company's COVID-19 vaccine clinic in partnership with the Springfield-Greene County Health Department and Jordan Valley Community Health Center on Tuesday, June 22, 2021, in Springfield, Mo. (Nathan Papes/The Springfield News-Leader via AP)

Amid spiking COVID-19 cases in Missouri, Gov. Mike Parson could be announcing vaccine incentives soon.

Parson told reporters last week he was meeting with the Department of Health and Senior Services to discuss the possibility of vaccine incentives.

"Everything's on the table right now whether we do incentives now for vaccines or not," he said. "The bottom line that people need to know: This virus is still here, and it's going to be here. It's just not going to go away."

Parson said he hopes to make a public announcement after July 4.

"We're going to try to figure out a way to move forward with some sort of incentives in the state of Missouri; we've just got to finalize the details," he said Thursday.

Parson said he knows the rate of new cases is spiking in Missouri and is looking at possibilities for how to mitigate the spread.

As of July 2, the state had 526,474 confirmed PCR cases, with a daily average of 610 positive cases over the past seven days, according to the DHSS COVID-19 dashboard.

At the same time, 4,970,356 vaccinations have been administered in Missouri. Just less than half of those - 2,403,917 - have a complete vaccine with both doses. That's 39.2 percent of Missouri residents who are fully vaccinated and 44.6 percent who have initiated the process.

Parson said young people in particular need to understand the severity of COVID-19 and its grip on the state.

The state's older population is getting vaccinated at a higher rate than younger people, according to DHSS data; 72.8 percent of the 65- to 74-year old population is fully vaccinated, whereas 34 percent of the 25-34 age group is.

The plan to move forward with vaccine incentives indicates a shift in the governor's position.

"I'm always hesitant to think you have to actually pay somebody to do something they should do for themselves," Parson said Wednesday. "So there's a balancing act to do to that because a year from now and another year from now there could be something else, and I'm not sure what government's role is if you have to pay somebody to take the vaccine. I think that's more of a personal responsibility."

The state is running a $5 million ad campaign, called "Stronger Together," to promote vaccine availability and urge Missourians to get the jab. The campaign has pushed messaging through traditional media, like radio, TV and print, as well as the internet and social media.

Numerous states, cities and private companies have announced incentives or rewards for getting a COVID-19 vaccine. In Ohio, for example, five people older than 18 who get the vaccine will receive $1 million and five 12- to 17-year-olds who get the shot will win scholarships to public colleges or universities in the state.

Colorado, California, Maryland, New York and Oregon are offering similar lotteries, while states like Maine and Minnesota are offering free state park passes or hunting and fishing licenses to some vaccinated individuals.