This Saturday from 8 am- 1pm, the DeKalb County Board of Health and DeKalb County Fire Rescue will administer free, voluntary COVID-19 vaccinations to anyone 12 and older at Stonecrest Mall in metro Atlanta, the AJC reports. Everyone receiving the vaccine will get a $100 prepaid debit card.
In DeKalb County, where about 55% of its population is African American, 39.1 percent of African Americans have received at least one dose. About 40 percent of Latinos, 54.9 percent of Whites and 71 percent of Asians have received at least one dose, the AJC noted. Just 47% of eligible people are fully vaccinated in DeKalb County.
Other states have offered incentives to facilitate vaccinations. Wisconsin is also offering a $100 debit card for residents 12 and older getting the vaccine. California announced it would offer a variety of cash prizes with its $116.5 million vaccine incentive program, including $50,000 for those selected in a drawing. New York offered children 12-17 a chance to win one of 50 full-ride scholarships to its public colleges for getting at least one vaccine dose.
COVID-19 vaccination in general has lagged more than expected in the U.S, with only 52% of its eligible residents fully vaccinated. Its vaccination rate is ranked 34th, trailing most industrial countries.
While Blacks and Latino vaccination ranks behind whites and Asians, recent trends show that gap is narrowing— they account for 17% and 26% of recent vaccinations despite being 12% and 15% of the U.S. population, respectively.
