NYC to Offer Incentives to Boost Vaccine Rates

New York City will offer free incentivizes to encourage people to get vaccinated, as vaccine rates throughout the city falls.

After months of city officials urging the stet and federal government to send more vaccines, the supply has outstripped the demand, and officials are scrambling for programs to tempt the vaccine hesitant to get their shots. The city has distributed more than 7 million vaccine doses.

“Anyone who’s not gotten vaccinated, now is the time. And we want to make it easier and we want to make it fun, and we want to give you some incentive. So, today, we announce incentives that I think are going to really encourage some of the folks who just haven’t gotten around to it or have been waiting for the right moment. Here’s the right moment – free tickets. Free tickets to some of New York City’s most iconic attractions. You’ll get them when you get vaccinated. We’re talking about the New York Botanical Garden, [and] the New York City Aquarium,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said at his press conference on Monday. “All these things are free when you get vaccinated.”

Details will be worked out over the next few days, and it is unclear if incentive eligibility applies to all sites, including private clinics, or just city sites.

Additionally, the mayor announced that the city’s libraries would be reopening to the public.

“This city does more than any city in America to reach our people, to serve them, to make their lives better. And one of the great parts of this city that people just love is our libraries. So, our libraries are now coming back. Starting today, our libraries are back – libraries back for people to come in, spend time reading, check out new books and materials,” de Blasio said.  “This is another one of these turning-point moments to have the libraries back for everyone. And we know they really matter to a lot of kids, it’s where they do their best studying after school. It’s a great, safe place for kids to be. We know for a lot of seniors, it’s a wonderful place and someplace they look forward to visiting every day. So, the New York Public Library, the Queens Public Library, the Brooklyn Public Library, all of them coming back.”

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smarcus@hamodia.com