SAN DIEGO — Three San Diegans were among the first 15 winners chosen to receive $50,000 each in the state's Vax to Win COVID-19 vaccination incentive program.
The winners were picked from 21.5 million eligible California residents who have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine before the Friday, June 4th drawing. To actually get their hands on the money, the winners will have to complete the vaccination process by receiving their second dose, unless they received the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Gov. Gavin Newsom presided over the selection of winners in a game show like format complete with a big spinning wheel. The pool of 21.5 million eligible residents was initially randomly pared down to 200, then winnowed to 50. The final selection was done using a Bingo-style machine akin to what typical lottery drawers use.
Governor Newsom put $116.5 million toward vaccination efforts. He announced Friday, "We are seeing vaccination rates across the spectrum improve especially in Black and brown communities but we recognize that we still have a lot of work to do there."
Nancy Maldonado is the president and CEO of The Chicano Federation. She’s working to bring San Diego’s LatinX community’s vaccination rate up from 27.3% where it stands as of the week of June 3rd, 2021. Maldonado says their biggest obstacle to getting folks vaccinated is misinformation and disinformation.
"A lot of (the bad information people were receiving) was about the health, the side effects and the safety of the vaccine. At this point we've seen how many people have gotten the vaccine and it's safe and everyone is healthy so in order to reach that herd immunity we do need more people to get their vaccine and now you can even win some money so why not?"
Whether you’re vaccinated already – or want a chance to win and will get vaccinated by June 14th – Maldonado says getting the shot is all you have to do.
“When you get vaccinated your information is automatically entered into the California database as already having been vaccinated. So these drawings, you're already entered. No need to do anything else. If you've been vaccinated, you're already entered into the drawings," she said.
None of the winners were identified by name, only by county, in order to maintain privacy. Maldonado said winners will be contacted by telephone or email.
If any of the 15 chosen winners turn out to be ineligible -- such as being employed by the governor's office or incarcerated -- alternate winners will be chosen from those remaining in Friday's pool of 50 finalists.
The Vax to Win incentive program will dole out $50,000 prizes to another 15 people next Friday, and on June 15 -- the day the state lifts the bulk of its COVID-19 restrictions -- 10 winners will be chosen to receive $1.5 million each.
The state has also been handing out $50 gift cards to newly vaccinated residents who complete the two-dose protocol.
Newsom said Friday more than 38.6 million doses of vaccine have been administered in the state, with 52% of the state's population now considered fully vaccinated. More than 70% of the state's adult population has received at least one dose of vaccine, he said.
"So we're here proud, but also mindful of the work that's in front of us, particularly in this light -- I've said this often, getting from 30 to 40 percent of people vaccinated, that's an easy 10 percent. Moving from 70 percent of adults to 75 and beyond, that's stubborn. That's difficult work," Newsom said.
He said the reality of the declining rate of people receiving their first dose of vaccine prompted the financial incentive program.
"I know some are cynical about these things, some are in denial that they should have any role to play as it relates to doing the right thing, and that's getting a life-saving shot that will not only support your own success throughout this pandemic, getting us to the other side, but also supporting the health and safety of your loved ones, the broader community and the state and nation," he said.
WATCH: San Diego County was one of the counties chosen in the first five lottery balls in 'Vax for the Win' lottery on June 4