THE push to vaccinate the world continues apace, but in America, some eyebrow-raising measures are being taken to coax the hesitant to get their injections.

 

Such as?

To boost vaccination rates, free, pre-rolled marijuana joints are being offered to any adults, 21 and over, who receive a Covid-19 vaccine in Washington state. The promotion is - perhaps not that surprisingly - called “Joints for Jabs”, and it will run until July 12, including both first and second doses.

 

It’s not just Washington state?

In Arizona, the Mint Cannabis Dispensary, partnered with a medical group to offer vaccines under a “Snax for Vaxx” promotion. Adults who get vaccinated are offered a joint and an edible cannabis sweet, while Greenhouse dispensary, in Walled Lake, Michigan, has also given out free pre-rolled joints as part of a “Pot for Shots” initiative.

 

It’s not just joints?

It’s guns too. In West Virginia, residents can enter the vaccine lottery, with a chance to win custom hunting rifles and shotguns. Other prizes include lifetime hunting and fishing licenses, customised trucks and a full scholarship to any higher education institution in the state. There’s also a top prize of $1.588 million.

 

Other ideas…

In New York, subway passes have been offered to those getting the vaccination at hubs in select metro stations. In Ohio, there’s a "Vaxamillion" lottery, with weekly winners scooping the $1 million jackpot, while in California, the “Vax for the Win” drive is open to everyone over-12 who has had at least one dose. On Tuesday, the state will announce 10 winners of $1.5 million cash prizes, putting the money into a savings account for anyone under-18.

 

It’s all part of a grander plan?

State officials across the US are thinking outside of the box in a bid to address plunging vaccination rates country-wide as America averages fewer than one million shots per day, according to The Washington Post's own analysis. This marks a fall of more than two thirds from a 3.4 million a day peak in April. The decline in numbers means the pressure is now on to reach President Joe Biden's goal of vaccinating at least 70 per cent of US adults by July 4.

 

Retailers are jumping on board?

Companies big and small are joining the vaccine push with their own promotions, including Krispy Kreme, which is offering a free original glazed donut to any consumer who shows their COVID vaccination card. Meanwhile, Budweiser brewer, Anheuser-Busch, announced it will buy a beer for those over-21 in its "biggest beer giveaway ever" once the Biden target is reached.

 

Shots too?

In another enticement effort, Miami Beach's Chamber of Commerce ran a "Shots for Shots" promotion on America's Memorial Day to encourage beach-goers to get their vaccines at a drop-in site, where they were given a coupon for a free drink. Jeff Zients, the White House coronavirus coordinator, said in a nutshell: “We need to bring the vaccines to where people are and answer the questions that people have and we are confident that more and more people will get vaccinated, leading up to the Fourth of July.”