In a bid to achieve herd immunity the government is St Vincent is launching a vaccine lottery to incentivize people to take the COVID-19 vaccine. Lucrative prizes include land on the Winward side of the island.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves announced yesterday June 28th that two raffles will take place which includes two parcels of land at Diamond- the farming village on the Winward side of the island.

“We are in conversation with the National Lottery to do a lottery draw with the persons who are vaccinated, being the persons who can participate in the draw,” Gonsalves said while commenting on the COVID19 vaccine situation on national radio.

Only 25 000 people have been fully vaccinated which represents less than 10 per cent of the population.

Just last month Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Mustique Company Stephen Joachim put forward the idea to encourage reluctant persons to get the vaccine by putting US 1 Million in a local vaccine lottery.

However, the accountant warned that there would be no draw unless at least 35 000 came forward to be vaccinated.

Other islands which have decided to use lotteries as an incentive includes

The US Virgin Islands who last Friday announced that they would be doubling their lottery amount from US1 Million to US2 Million. Grenada is also included in the listing and earlier this month launched their programme towards increasing inoculation.

Antigua and Barbuda is also counted in the fold who in early June announced prizes for those over 18 who are eligible to win should they take the Astra Zeneca vaccine before expiry come tomorrow (June 30th).

Prizes there includes US $1850 and a 8,000 square foot parcel of land.