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Dr. Mary Vansickle delivers a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine during a drive-thru clinic at the Santa Fe Fairgrounds on Friday. New Mexico health officials are considering launching an incentive-based campaign to boost slowing vaccination rates among state residents. (Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal)
SANTA FE – In Ohio and Oregon, there are $1 million vaccine lottery drawings planned for those willing to roll up their sleeves.
And in Maine, a certain number of lucky vaccine recipients will get free fishing licenses, baseball tickets and L.L. Bean gift cards.
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With COVID-19 vaccination rates slowing around the nation, governors are increasingly turning to financial incentives to try to encourage hesitant residents to get the shots.
In New Mexico, the vaccine incentives have been largely limited to radio stations offering gift certificates to restaurants and businesses that have obtained state-level certification for safe business practices during the pandemic.
But a state Department of Health spokesman said Monday that the state is monitoring other states’ actions and considering launching a more high-profile vaccine incentive campaign.
“We’re certainly aware of what other states are doing,” DOH spokesman Matt Bieber told the Journal.
In addition, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham recently said she would consider copying ideas used in other states.
“Every time someone has a good idea, we’re deploying it, and we appreciate your support to do that,” Lujan Grisham told President Joe Biden and other governors during a virtual White House event this month.
New Mexico’s vaccination administration rate has been among the nation’s highest for months but has slowed in recent weeks.
As of Monday, 54.2% of residents ages 16 and older were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while 64.4% had received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to DOH data.
That’s up from 44.5% fully vaccinated three weeks ago, on May 3.
However, the vaccine pace has dropped as many New Mexicans eager to get one of three approved shots have already done so.
A total of 54,671 doses were administered statewide over the previous week as of Monday, compared with 87,213 shots administered in the seven-day period that ended April 28, according to DOH data.
The reduced demand for the COVID-19 vaccine has slowed the growth in New Mexico’s fully vaccinated rate – a key metric since Lujan Grisham has pledged to remove most business restrictions under the state’s color-coded risk system for virus transmission once New Mexico hits the 60% mark for fully vaccinated residents.
And that’s despite state health officials’ recent efforts to target COVID-19 vaccine campaigns at minority groups and different geographic regions of New Mexico.
The Department of Health also recently started allowing on-site vaccination clinics at businesses and houses of worship, though at least some planned events have been canceled due to low participation numbers.
Meanwhile, the financial incentives offered by some states to encourage the reluctant to get vaccinated appear to be working.
In Ohio, there was reportedly a 53% week-over-week increase in vaccination rates after the announcement of a $5 million lottery to offer five $1 million rewards, with the first drawing set for Wednesday.
The state is also offering five full-ride college scholarships to residents ages 12 to 17 who have received at least one vaccine dose.
Oregon followed suit last week by announcing plans for a similar lottery, with prizes ranging from $10,000 to $1 million.
“It can save your life and just maybe make you a millionaire,” Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said in announcing the campaign, according to The Oregonian newspaper.
New Mexico health officials did announce Monday a change in federal guidance for storing the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine that could improve public access.
Previously, thawed vials of vaccine doses could only be stored in refrigerators for a maximum of five days, but that will be extended to up to one month under the new federal Food and Drug Administration guidelines.
