Highlights
Read more about advantages and disadvantages of rolling out incentive programs to attract more people to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Overview
The COVID-19 pandemic needs well-established ways to boost vaccination rates to end this health crisis. Across the globe, promoting vaccination gets more creative by implementing some incentive schemes. Here are some things to know about immunization campaigns coupled with incentives.
1. Some examples of incentive programs during the COVID-19 pandemic
Gimmicks and lotteries for public cooperation include:
- A sweepstake to win a cow in San Luis, Philippines
- A prize draw to win an apartment in Hong Kong
2. Unintended negative consequences of incentives
Offering payments for vaccination could reduce people’s trust in the safety of vaccines. Making it difficult to implement future vaccine programs, people might expect payment for future vaccinations to comply during a health emergency.
3. Perception of people towards incentive programs
According to a Swedish study conducted, people are more likely not to feel coerced by the incentives that offer public funds for COVID-19 vaccines. There is little to no implications on how COVID-19 vaccines affected their perception of the products’ safety or efficacy, their sense of civic responsibility or their intention to get an influenza shot or donate blood.
4. Alternatives to incentive schemes
Instead of rolling out incentive schemes, vaccination seeks efforts to build trust among people to receive vaccines by providing access to information and bringing vaccination centers closer to vulnerable populations
Learn more about how incentives can and cannot be a game changer among people amidst the pandemic here
