R.I. Department of Health examining incentives for vaccination

THE R.I. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH on Tuesday said it is looking at incentives to promote vaccination, which is slowing among the age bands./ COURTESY R.I. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

PROVIDENCE The R.I. Department of Health has a working group that is looking at incentives to persuade people to get vaccinated, according to health officials who spoke at the COVID-19 vaccine committee meeting Tuesday.

The state, so far, has not offered any financial or promotional incentives, as many other states have done.

As recently as last Thursday, Tom McCarthy, the R.I. Department of Health’s COVID-19 executive director, said a cash lottery was not something Rhode Islanders wanted.

California, New York and Ohio, among other states, have offered a chance at lottery cash as incentive for people who are newly vaccinated. “In Rhode Island, what we’ve heard loud and clear, is they don’t need to be paid to do that,” McCarthy said.

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But on Tuesday, Tricia Washburn, the department’s immunization leader, said the state has a working group that is examining what incentives have worked well in other states, and what hasn’t.

The National Governors Association has a list by state that includes incentives such as gift cards, event tickets and cash payments. In Maine, the state is giving away hunting and fishing licenses, and free access to parks. In New York, Yankees and Mets tickets are being given to newly eligible.

Rhode Island is looking at the options, said Washburn.

“We are exploring incentives,” she said. “From incentives in terms of working with businesses, to assess what types of incentives they would be willing to implement all the way to monetary incentives, providing for those who get a first dose or complete a vaccination.”

Gift cards, or tickets to events, are among the options, she said.

The backdrop is continued hesitancy among some Rhode Islanders to getting vaccinated. While the state has had success in inoculating a large proportion of its population, it still has areas where people are getting fewer vaccines.

On Tuesday, the state released a list of “cold spots” for vaccines in Rhode Island, in which fewer than 50% of the adult residents have received the vaccines. The spots include seven neighborhoods in Providence, the Darlington area of Pawtucket and all of Woonsocket.

Overall, the pace of vaccinations is slowing, particularly among older teens, according to health officials.

The fastest pace is now among the 12- to 15-year-olds, who were first approved for the Pfizer vaccine one month ago. That age group now has almost 37% vaccinated with a first shot, according to the updated statistics.

As of June 7, 89% of Rhode Islanders 55 and older were vaccinated with at least one dose.

Sixty-seven percent or more of Rhode Islanders between age 35 and 54 have had vaccines.

Fifty-two to 55% of residents age 16 to 34 have received at least one dose.

Mary MacDonald is a staff writer for the PBN. Contact her at macdonald@pbn.com.

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