The New York City government has pledged to pay $100 to any resident who receives a Covid-19 booster shot before the end of the year, unveiling another cash incentive program amid panic elicited by the Omicron strain.
Incumbent Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the move at a news conference on Tuesday, saying the money was a “limited time opportunity” and will be “by far the biggest incentive program booster” created in the United States.
“We want everyone, right now, as quickly as possible, to get these boosters. And we’re going to make it even better for you with a new incentive and incentive that arrives just in time for the holidays,” the mayor said, adding that the rewards will be offered at any city-run vaccination site and select partner locations.
“Starting today, we’re announcing a $100 incentive for everyone who goes out and gets a booster here in New York by the end of the year.”
The new program mirrors a similar initiative unveiled earlier this year, in which officials also offered $100 to residents who received their very first dose of the vaccine, though the previous attempt did not appear to have had a major effect on residents. vaccination rate in the city.
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Rolling out the cash offer, de Blasio and other city officials spoke in dire terms about the Covid-19 Omicron strain — the latest “concerning variant” identified by the World Health Organization — citing it as his name no less than 16 times during Thursday. press event.
Despite the alarm, New York City – once a global hotspot for the virus – has seen a dramatic reduction in coronavirus deaths and hospitalizations over the past year, even amid a spike in new infections. . On Monday, the Big Apple reported an average of 14 deaths per week, significantly lower than its peak of over 800 in April 2020, while de Blasio himself noted that the city’s hospital system is currently “I’m doing very, very well.” However, these more promising numbers have done little to sway dire warnings from city and state officials as they continue to raise alarm bells about the Omicron mutation.
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