As Austria seeks to increase its Covid-19 vaccination coverage, its government has announced a lottery that would complement the EU country’s mandatory vaccination, British news portal The Guardian reports.
The conservative-green coalition government of Austrian chancellor Karl Nehammer on Thursday, January 20, unveiled what it called its “vaccination lottery” programme, which will run from 15 March until the end of the year and cost the government approximately EUR 1.4bn.
Under the scheme, Austrians will receive a ticket for each shot of vaccine they take or have already taken, meaning those who have got their booster jab will hold three tickets. Approximately every tenth ticket will win a EUR 500 gift voucher that can be redeemed in shops, restaurants, tourism and at cultural or sporting events.
In addition, Austria is trying to encourage local authorities to promote the immunisation programme by tying vaccination rates to additional funding. Nehammer cited an example whereby an administrative district with a population of 3,000 would be rewarded with EUR 30,000 if it managed to jab 80% of its population – or EUR 120,000 for a 90% rate.
Read also: MEPs: Hungarian elections need OSCE observers due to risks to democracy
About 72% of Austria’s population are considered fully immunised after receiving either a booster shot or their second dose within the last six months, one of the lower rates in western Europe.
Critics say the vaccination lottery programme is at odds with a general vaccination mandate due to be phased in from February, under which people who refuse to have a jab are fined up to EUR 3,600.
The lower house of Austria’s parliament on Thursday afternoon voted 137-33 to make vaccines mandatory for all adults except for pregnant women and people who are advised against vaccination on health grounds, The Guardian reports.
Austria to have both mandatory vaccination and lottery with EUR 500 vouchers
