Louisiana is giving $100 to people who get their first shot of a COVID-19 vaccine, state officials announced Friday, as the state’s vaccination rate continues to lag behind the rest of the nation.
Available beginning Friday to anyone in Louisiana eligible for a vaccine, the “Shot For 100” program extends an incentive already in place for college students. The program is also open to minors, who will need parental consent to get the vaccine.
The state is giving out Visa gift cards that the newly vaccinated need to activate and load with $100 by going to shotfor100.com. The program is only in place for a limited number of community-based vaccine locations, which are a fraction of the over 1500 pharmacies, health centers and other public sites where people can get vaccinated.
The offer will also be short-lived: It expires on Oct. 30 or “while supplies last,” according to a statement from the office of Gov. John Bel Edwards.
“By expanding the Shot for 100 campaign to everyone in Louisiana, we hope to see tens of thousands of additional people get their first dose of the safe and effective COVID vaccines, so we can end this pandemic once and for all,” Edwards said. “We’re hoping a cool $100 will help make the decision easier."
COVID-19 vaccines are free at any location.
Louisiana’s vaccination rate remains far behind the national average. About 54% of people 12 years of age and older are vaccinated, compared to a national average of 65%. The ongoing fourth surge of the pandemic has killed thousands of people in Louisiana, including a sharp rise in deaths among children, pregnant women and their fetuses.
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