Pfizer Vaccine Lottery Incentive Begins Launch in Poland
A new lottery has launched in Poland, as an incentive for young people to get the vaccine, they have one of the lowest vaccination rates in Europe. The government’s growing concern has forced them into action; they’re launching several new schemes to convince their population to take the vaccine. The lottery concept targets numerous sectors of society, both young and old; the event’s exclusivity means only players who’ve had the jab can enter.
The Polish government has launched a new lottery scheme to convince their population to take the COVID-19 vaccine. A Pfizer lottery will take place in the coming weeks, with big prizes promised for the winners.
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Poland’s vaccine program started in January 2021. At first, they achieved record numbers with a significant number of the elderly population vaccinated within a month. Since then, the uptake has dropped, and middle-aged/young people have set unfortunate records. They were having one of the lowest jab rates in Europe. The growing concern of the European Union and the Polish government has pushed forward plans to increase marketing proposals for the vaccine.
According to the official Polish Gambling Authority announcement, the top prize will be the equivalent of $260,000. Every 500th person who gets the jab will receive a cash bonus between the lower prizes and the jackpot. The new scheme will begin immediately; the prize pool is not divided by counties but will include the whole countries population as one category. National lotteries are often used to support causes such as the UK lottery funding Team GB.
The Polish government has also promised additional funding to local governments to vaccinate most, if not all, of their populations successfully. Statistics from the National Office for Health show urban areas have a far higher vaccination rate than rural towns and neighborhoods. Poland has a population of roughly 38 million, 5% of them live in the countryside, and the Polish government aims to persuade these individuals.
They’ve also promised to include some tangible prizes such as new cars and controversial electric scooters, which have caused a stir in some European nations. In the United Kingdom, police will seize them if they’re seen in public, but in Poland, Germany and many others, the regulations are far more relaxed, often regarded as a greener way to travel. It must be said that they do not come with every major cash prize.
One of a Kind Vaccine Lottery
At this moment in time, Poland is the only European nation currently offering a vaccine lottery for its citizens. State governments likely inspired it over in America, such as Ohio who was the first in the US to do so. Not long after the scheme began, they reported a slight increase in vaccination rates among young people. It goes without saying that only those over the age of 18 can be considered for the prize money.
In a recent TV interview, Poland’s health minister Adam Niedzielski expressed his desire to see an increase in the vaccine rate. He went onto say that anything the government can do is being done to ensure no stone is left unturned. Niedzielski is regarded as the mastermind of this scheme as well as many other marketing ploys; in collaboration with the gambling authority, he created the lottery scheme in order to incentivize the vaccine.
Rumors are circulating that Serbia is also set to launch a ‘cash-for-jab’ initiative; however, this will work differently to the Polish system, as everyone who takes the vaccine will receive a small amount of tax-free money from the government. Brazil became the first South American nation to impose a cash-driven initiative, only handing cash in a prize pool system to those who have been doubly vaccinated.
How has Poland Dealt with the Pandemic
Poland had a large number of infections, rivalling some of Europe’s most affected nations such as Italy, England, France, and Russia. 75,000 people died because of the disease. However, since the vaccine rollout, the death rate has decreased dramatically, further proving the effectiveness of the jab. Only recently have the Polish been able to move back into normal society, lifting major restrictions in June 2021; football stadiums and other large venues will remain closed for the foreseeable future.
Poland has now adopted the herd mentality attitude in an effort to resume some semblance of normal life for its people. The nation’s goal is to reach 70% vaccinated populous; only then can they fully move forward with removing all restrictions. The Delta variant has disrupted plans as the infection rate has now increased rapidly. However, hospitalizations are staying well down compared to the previous second wave of the pandemic in Poland.
