It’s sad we have to pay people to get COVID-19 vaccine | Letter to the editor

Ohio has started entering each person receiving a coronavirus vaccination in a lottery with a chance to win up to a million dollars. That’s seems like a dumb idea. Yet Ohio officials report that vaccinations increased 33% in the week after the lottery was announced.

OK, maybe it works, but it still is ridiculous. The shots are free and available. Why does there need to be an additional incentive for anyone to protect themselves and others from a dangerous and deadly virus? Does that mean that we could have slowed transmission of the virus if we had paid people to wear masks and social distance? Maybe we should pay drivers not to drive recklessly or offer scholarships if parents don’t feed their children tons of donuts and mac & cheese.

But, having said that, if it works let’s do it, especially given the fact that well over a half million deaths have been attributed to COVID-19. You would think that would be enough incentive. I don’t think it’s that people don’t know better — maybe it’s because they don’t care more.

Doug Broberg

Bradenton