COVID vaccine expands to elementary-age kids
Millions of children in America became eligible to receive the Covid-19 vaccine this week. And some officials are sweetening the deal by including them in various incentive programs.
In New York City, children can claim $100 if they get their first dose of Pfizer's vaccine at city-operated vaccine site. Alternatively, they can get tickets to city attractions such as the Statue of Liberty or the Brooklyn Cyclones baseball team. The incentive program was already available to other New Yorkers who got vaccinated.
Keep scrolling for the latest vaccination and virus case numbers
"We really want kids to take advantage, families take advantage of that," Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday. "Everyone could use a little more money around the holidays. But, most importantly, we want our kids and our families to be safe."
In Chicago, health officials are also offering $100 gift cards for children ages five to 11 when they get the shots at Chicago Public Health events or clinics, officials said.
A nurse inoculates an 8-year-old child at NYC Health + Hospitals Harlem Hospital on November 4, 2021.
Plus, the Chicago school district -- one of the largest in the nation -- is closing on November 12 for Vaccination Awareness Day to make it easier for students to get their shots.
"It is rare that we make a late change to the school calendar, but we see this as an important investment in the future of this school year and the health and wellbeing of our students, staff, and families," Chicago Public Schools Chief Executive Officer Pedro Martinez said in a message to parents.
The perks come after the US Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention on Tuesday cleared children as young as 5 for smaller vaccination doses, making most Americans eligible for the shots.
In Texas, San Antonio officials announced that parents and guardians who help their children get vaccinated at a public health clinic may claim a $100 gift card for H-E-B grocery stores. And in neighboring Louisiana, officials said the 5-11 age group could soon also claim $100.
In Minnesota, officials launched the "Kids Deserve a Shot" program intended to bolster vaccine numbers among those ages 12 and 17, officials said. The state is offering a $200 visa card as well as the opportunity to enter a raffle for a $100,000 college scholarship or a Minnesota experience prize package.
However, it's unclear if the various incentives will help bolster the vaccine numbers.
A study published last month in JAMA Health Forum found that incentive lotteries organized by 19 states did not seem to work.
However, the researchers speculated that lotteries may be less enticing than actual cash for vaccines.
A survey in May from the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 47% of people who say they want to "wait and see" before being vaccinated said paid time off to get it would make them more likely to do so, and 39% said a financial incentive of $200 from their employer would work.
Overall, the US has fully vaccinated more than 58% of the total population as of Thursday, according to CDC data.
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Key takeaways as US sets Jan. 4 vaccine mandate deadline for workers
About the announcement
Updated
Millions of U.S. workers now have a Jan 4. deadline to get a COVID vaccine.
The federal government on Thursday announced new vaccine requirements for workers at companies with more than 100 employees as well as for workers at health care facilities that treat Medicare and Medicaid patients. It also extended a deadline for federal contractors.
The Biden administration says 70% of all adult Americans are now fully vaccinated. The new rules are aimed at the tens of millions who remain unvaccinated.
Here are the key takeaways:
What do companies have to do?
Updated
Companies with 100 or more employees must require those workers to get fully vaccinated — with two shots of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines, or one shot of Johnson & Johnson — by Jan. 4. After that date, any employee who remains unvaccinated must provide a verified negative COVID test weekly. Companies aren't required to pay for those tests. Unvaccinated employees also must wear masks.
Will workers get time off to get vaccinated?
Updated
Starting Dec. 5, employers must offer paid time off for workers to get vaccinated and sick leave if workers experience vaccine side effects.
How will this be enforced?
Updated
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will assist companies with vaccination plans. It will also enforce the rules. Fines for non-compliance will vary based on a company's size and other factors. A company might have to pay up to $13,653 per individual violator or up to $136,532 for willful violation of the rules.
What are the rules for health care workers?
Updated
Workers at health care facilities that treat Medicaid and Medicare patients must be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4. There is no weekly testing option for those workers, but they can ask for religious or medical exemptions. The mandate will cover about 17 million health care workers at hospitals, nursing homes, surgical centers and other facilities.
What about federal contractors?
Updated
In September, the Biden administration said it would require employees at federal contractors to get vaccinated by Dec. 8. On Thursday, the government pushed back that deadline to Jan. 4.
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