Birmingham City Council To Hear $13 Million Vaccine Sweepstakes Proposal Tuesday
Birmingham City Council President William Parker will present a $13 million package of incentives, including million-dollar drawings, to encourage residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The plan, to be presented to the city council Tuesday, calls for $500 gift cards, savings bonds, college scholarships and two drawings for up to $1 million.
“Obviously we know there are a lot of different factors for why some people are hesitant to receive a vaccine,” Parker said in a statement announcing the proposal. “As elected leaders here, we must do everything possible to not only make the vaccine accessible, but also encourage its use. This is a bold strategy that we think will drastically increase the number of residents wanting to receive a vaccine.”
For months, Parker encouraged residents to get vaccinated through numerous Facebook Live Town Halls with health experts on the benefits of a vaccination. However, only 36% of Birmingham citizens have received at least their first dose.
The sweepstakes would be funded through money Birmingham received from the American Rescue Plan Act. However, some people said it won’t matter how much money is on the table.
“It’s a hard ‘no’ for me, because I’m not going to be bribed to take something that should be good for me,” Tremon Muhammed said.
Others said they’d only take the top prize.
“My life is not worth less than that,” Ira Smith said. “Why would I take something that only guarantees me a $500? I make more than that a week.”
If Muhammad and Smith reflect the greater Birmingham community, Parker’s lottery plans won’t make much of a difference. But in Ohio, the Vax-A-Million campaign has had a different reaction. The weekend after announcing their lottery, vaccinations in the state increased by 28%.
Parker says his goal is to have at least 175,000 Birmingham residents vaccinated.
Federal judge appears likely to temporarily halt Trump’s sweeping government overhaul
A federal judge in San Francisco appeared ready to temporarily block the Trump administration's sweeping overhaul of the federal government.
USDA, DOGE demand states hand over personal data about food stamp recipients
The Department of Agriculture is demanding sensitive data from states about more than 40 million food stamp recipients, as DOGE is amassing data for immigration enforcement.
Pope Leo XIV may help Vatican explore the ‘great uncertainty’ that is Trump’s America
For close watchers of the Catholic Church, the election of a U.S. pope seemed impossible. The "Trump effect" on the U.S. and global order changed that, papal expert Massimo Faggioli told NPR.
Trump fires all 3 Democrats on the Consumer Product Safety Commission
The Consumer Product Safety Commission works to protect Americans from dangerous products and issuing recalls and warnings. It's the latest attempt by Trump to exact control over independent agencies.
Tufts student Rümeysa Öztürk ordered freed from immigration detention
Rümeysa Öztürk, a Tufts University doctoral student, was ordered released by a federal judge in Vermont in the latest setback for the Trump administration's effort to deport noncitizen activists it accuses of antisemitism.
Measles math: What to know about 1,001 measles cases across the country
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated the numbers of measles cases in the country on Friday. Here's what they say and what it means for public health in the U.S.