With less than half of its County population fully vaccinated, Douglas County Government and Douglas Public Health will offer monetary incentives in an attempt to improve its COVID-19 vaccination rates. The Douglas County Board of Commissioners announced that the first 100 people (age 12 and older) to book an appointment and receive the COVID-19 vaccine at the County’s annual September Saturdays event this weekend will receive a $100 prepaid gift card.
“As of September 14th, in Douglas County, 41 % of the 144,000 residents are fully vaccinated and 47 % have at least one dose,” says Commission Chair Dr. Romona Jackson Jones. She adds, “That statistic means that more than half of our County residents are still not protected from the virus. We’ve seen how successful these types of incentive programs have been for other jurisdictions. We are hoping for that same kind of success here.”
The first allotment of the $100 gift cards will be distributed to Douglas County residents this Saturday, September 18th at the Douglas County Courthouse. The first 200 Douglas County residents who book an appointment and get the vaccine during the September Saturdays event on September 25th will also receive a $100 gift card. The vaccine incentive is funded by Douglas County’s allotment of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
Participants must verify that they are a Douglas County resident and that they are not fully vaccinated. By registering for an appointment, participants give permission for their Georgia Immunization Record to be accessed to verify vaccination status. Residents who have already been fully vaccinated or who live outside of Douglas County are not eligible for this incentive.
Eligible individuals age 12-17 years old, must verify that they have parent or guardian permission to accept this gift card. Residents can register here or by QR code: https://cdph.jotform.com/212556870816967 [gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com] The Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be offered at both September Saturdays events.