Minnesota offering state fair tickets, fishing licenses to promote coronavirus vaccines

The state of Minnesota will offer Minnesota State Fair tickets, fishing licenses and state park passes, among other rewards, to individuals who get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Gov. Tim Walz (D) on Thursday announced the “Your Shot to Summer” campaign, which will reward 100,000 people who get vaccinated between Memorial Day weekend and the end of June with a choice of prizes.

The goal of the initiative is to help get 70 percent of Minnesotans 16 years and older vaccinated by July 1, Walz said, coinciding with a goal President Biden set earlier this month for 70 percent of all adults to have at least one shot of the coronavirus vaccine by July 4.

The choices of prizes include passes and tickets for the Great Lakes Aquarium, Nickelodeon Universe, Minnesota State Parks, the Minnesota Zoo, Northwoods baseball games, the Minnesota State Fair and Valleyfair.

Additionally, individuals who get vaccinated in that time frame can opt for a fishing license that is good until February 2022 or a $25 Visa gift card.

Walz said that Minnesota’s COVID-19 case and death rates have decreased, adding that those indicators are the “perfect timing” to get the final number of people vaccinated and “get out and explore Minnesota” this summer.

“All of those things are the perfect timing to get the last bunch of folks to get in and get vaccinated, take advantage of the incentives that we’re offering, get out and explore Minnesota. You, your family, your community will be safe, and you’ll get to see the great things that we have,” Walz said.

Sixty-four percent of the state, or more than 2.8 million Minnesotans, has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as of Monday, according to The Associated Press.

More than 2.5 million Minnesota residents have been fully vaccinated.

Minnesota’s vaccination effort, however, has steadily slowed in recent weeks, according to state data, following a growing nationwide trend.

States are now entering the more difficult phase of their vaccine rollout programs in which they are tasked with convincing vaccine-hesitant individuals to receive the shot.

Minnesota joins a growing number of states implementing vaccine incentive programs to help persuade remaining vaccine-hesitant individuals to get inoculated.

Earlier this month, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) announced that the state would give away millions of dollars in federal funds through a lottery for people who have received the coronavirus vaccine.

The first of five winners to take home $1 million was announced on Wednesday. Abbigail Bugenske, 22, said she thought she received a “prank call initially” when DeWine notified her that she had won.

Last week, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced that individuals who get vaccinated this week would receive a free New York Lottery scratch-off ticket for the Mega Multiplier Lottery.