Maryland is bringing back its COVID-19 vaccine cash lottery to encourage its residents to get boosted - and participants will be eligible to win up to a million dollars.
Gov. Larry Hogan announced Tuesday a new VaxCash 2.0 contest, similar to last year’s promotions of VaxCash and VaxU, in an effort to get more people boosted. At least 73% of all Maryland residents are fully vaccinated, according to data from the state’s health department, but just over 50% of adult residents have received that additional dose, Hogan said.
The state will be giving away a total of $2 million in cash awards. The first random drawing will be next Tuesday, Feb. 15, for $500,000.
After that, $50,000 will be given out weekly for 10 weeks. A final raffle will take place on May 3, when the jackpot of $1 million will be awarded.
We're making it easier for you to find stories that matter with our new newsletter — The 4Front. Sign up here and get news that is important for you to your inbox.
“The biggest takeaway from the Omicron surge is just how critically important it is to get a booster shot,” Gov. Hogan said in a news release. “It is clear that getting fully protected with a booster is the single most important thing you can do right now to minimize the impact of COVID-19 and its variants and to help us all finally move on from this pandemic."
Any resident 18 years and older who has received their primary COVID-19 shots and their booster in the state at any time is automatically eligible to win.
If you haven’t gotten your booster yet, you’ll need to get it by the end of February to be entered in the lottery.
