KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Health professionals across Missouri have been urging more people in the state to get vaccinated as case rates rise. On Wednesday, 180 people who listened won big.
Missouri's Department of Health and Senior Services started an incentive program, MO VIP, in July to help encourage more residents to get vaccinated.
As part of the program, 180 vaccinated entrants will be randomly drawn for a lottery prize of $10,000 in five different rounds. The first round of winners was drawn Aug. 13, and the department announced who they are after successfully verifying 170 of the 180 names.
Winners can accept their prize either in cash or as a scholarship.
Six of the winners list Kansas City as home, with others from cities in the area such as Independence, Lee's Summit and Blue Springs. The full list can be found here.
“We congratulate these 180 Missourians, not only for winning this drawing but more importantly for stepping up to do the right thing and choosing to get vaccinated,” Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said in a release. “The vaccines are proven to be safe, effective, and the best resource available to prevent serious illness from COVID-19. Vaccination is how we protect ourselves and those we care for from this virus."
The lottery had 495,296 participants when the first round of winners was drawn. Those who have been vaccinated with at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine can still enter for a chance at future drawings, with the next round on Aug. 27.
Entrants only need to apply once and will be included in every round of the drawing unless they were drawn as a winner.
By the end of the incentive program, 900 Missourians will have won $10,000.
Among this round's winners are 20 adolescents. One, Cooper Norton, a 12 year old from St. Charles, got vaccinated to help protect his sister, who has Cystic Fibrosis.
His mother, Shawna Norton, told DHSS they got him vaccinated after careful consideration.
“It wasn’t something we took lightly. In fact, we had multiple conversations with pediatricians and specialist doctors to ensure it was the right choice given our family dynamic," Norton said. "After a lot of conversations, every single doctor recommended we get Cooper vaccinated. It was a no-brainer. We really feel that getting the COVID-19 vaccination is the best thing we can do to help protect our daughter.”
According to DHSS, 63% of Missouri's eligible population is vaccinated.
