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Vaccinations increased following 'Vax-a-Million' initiative announcement, DeWine says

DeWine stated Monday that there was a 6 percent increase in vaccinations among Ohioans aged 30 to 74, last week. That number is a sharp increase from previous weeks.

CEDARVILLE, Ohio — During his Monday afternoon press conference, Gov. Mike DeWine announced that Ohio saw an increase in vaccinations following the announcement of the "Vax-a-Million" lottery initiative. 

"Since the two big announcements last week about vaccine eligibility opening up for 12 to 15-year-olds and our Vax-a-Million incentives, we have heard that local health departments and pharmacies are seeing more people coming in to get vaccinated," Gov. DeWine tweeted during the press conference on Monday. "This is great news!"

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The "Vax-a-Million" program, proposed as an incentive to get Ohioans to take the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine, will give away $1 million dollars to a vaccinated Ohio resident each week for five weeks, beginning on May 26.

"Last Friday, May 14, was the highest day of shots administered in the last three weeks," Gov. DeWine said Monday. 

"During the three-week time period I just outlined," DeWine continued, "Ohioans aged 30 to 74 were experiencing a 24 percent decrease week over week for those prior to Friday. We were going down. Last week, that age group saw a six percent increase." 

The lottery will also give away five full-ride scholarships to any public university in Ohio for Ohioans between the ages of 12 to 17 who decide to take the COVID-19 vaccine. This comes on the heels of the CDC's recommendation that the Pfizer two-shot vaccine is safe and effective for children in that age group. 

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During a Monday morning press conference, Ohio Department of Health Director Stephanie McCloud provided further details on the lottery program. McCloud announced that the program would only be for those Ohioans looking to 'opt-in.'

For more information on how to enter the 'Vax-a-Million' lottery, click here.  

You can watch the full coronavirus briefing from May 17 in the player below:

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