LODI, Calif. — Over in the city of Lodi, a trip to the next COVID-19 vaccine clinic could save you $25 or more on your utility bill.
It’s part of the city’s new vaccine incentive program that is supported with American Rescue Plan funds. In a phone interview, Mayor Alan Nakanishi said the city got $16 million in funds and could use about $250,000 on vaccine incentives in the future. He said the idea for the utility credit came about because some residents were struggling with their utility bills.
Any Lodi resident who gets a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on or after May 6 is eligible for a $25 credit on their utility bill after finishing the vaccination series. All you need to do is present a completed vaccine card and proof of residence.
The best part is that you can also get multiple credits applied to the account. So, if multiple people in the household meet the requirements, they all can get applied to the account. For more information on how to get the credit, click HERE.
ABC10 reached out to the Lodi city manager for more information on the program, but the inquiry was not immediately returned.
The program strikes a similar chord to other incentives that have come about as vaccination efforts escalated. One of the more notable examples was Krispy Kreme offering a free Original Glazed donut to anyone who shows their COVID-19 vaccination record card. There were also offers from OfficeMax and Staples to laminate your vaccination card for free.
According to a study from Kaiser Family Foundation, businesses could also have a role to play in filling the vaccination gap. The foundation said four in 10 employed adults in the “wait and see” group said they would be more likely to get a vaccine if offered a $200 incentive or if their employer arranged on-site vaccination.
The former route being taken by grocery store Nugget Market, which is offering a $100 "thank you" bonus for employees who get vaccinated. Back in March, Save Mart started giving paid time off to employees who got their vaccine.
Lodi’s offer is one of the few that San Joaquin County Public Health has heard of locally, but the news didn't catch them off guard.
“I’m not surprised that programs like this are popping up,” Daniel Kim, spokesperson for San Joaquin County Public Health, said. “We think it’s a really great idea if this is going through, and essentially, it’s something that will help to encourage people who are still holding out on getting vaccinated to get vaccinated.”
About 36% of the San Joaquin County population is vaccinated at this point (Wednesday, May 12), and Kim said public health is looking to get that number much higher. Incentives, like what’s been seen with Krispy Kreme and now in Lodi, could be a big factor in moving the needle.
While Kim said the county doesn’t have anything set in stone for their own incentive programs, he said things like discounts, gift cards, free admission to events could be in the conversation. He added that public health has been working with community partners to see what would make certain groups more motivated to get a vaccine.
“It is part of a bigger outreach strategy that we’re doing in order to encourage those people who are still hesitant or unsure and make sure that they’re properly educated and again motivated to be able to go get vaccinated. That is rolling out this month,” Kim said.
It’s part of a changing mentality as vaccine demand wanes and mass vaccination sites fall to the wayside. The focus is now on targeted groups and getting the people on the fence enough information and enough motivation to get the shot.
While San Joaquin County has it’s own plans in the works, Kim said local businesses are free to get creative with their own incentive program.
“With other businesses, I think it’s a good idea for some of our business communities to get together to talk about maybe a discount program to get some percentage off of sales or something like that to encourage people to get vaccinated,” Kim said.
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