(Photo : Getty Images/Greg Ruffing)
CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 6: Signs in the windows of the Quick Shop Food Mart in South Euclid, Ohio, announce the store as the place where the winning $162 million "Mega Millions" lottery ticket was sold January 6, 2004 in Cleveland, Ohio. Rebecca and Sam Jemison of South Euclid were announced as the official winners during a press conference January 6. The jackpot came under controversy after another woman claimed to have purchased the winning ticket but then lost it. This is the first "Mega Millions" jackpot hit in Ohio.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine declared on Monday the triumph of the state's Vax-a-Million lottery in bolstering demand for COVID-19 vaccines. He announced that over 2.7 million adult residents had registered for the chance to win $1 million in one of five weekly drawings.
However, the governor's giveaway approach has ignited the ire of fellow Republican state lawmakers. They are currently introducing legislation to close the project as "a frivolous use of taxpayer dollars." The prize money comes from Ohio's share of the $2.2 trillion federal Cares Act. It was signed into law in March 2020.
Ohio's Vax-a-Million
DeWine announced that 2,758,470 Ohioans had entered the said lottery. In May this year, Ohio became one of the first states to proffer a vaccine incentive in the form of a lottery ticket, reported Yahoo.
According to DeWine in his novel coronavirus update, "After announcing this promotion, we have seen the biggest increase in vaccinations in the 16-17-year-old age group, where there was a 94% increase. Among 18-19-year-olds in the state, there has been a 46% increase," reported Crain's Cleaveland Business.
The governor held a news conference on the ongoing dissemination of coronavirus vaccines across Ohio. He also provided updates on the Vax-a-million lottery program, which commences this week. The first winner will be declared on Wednesday night. Viewers could watch on FOX 8 at 7:29 p.m., reported Fox 8.
Five full-ride scholarships will also be offered to teenagers in Ohio who are inoculated. Over 104,300 young Ohio people have registered for the scholarship drawing.
DeWine remarked that you are in for all five drawings through the following few weeks once you are registered. Permanent Ohio residents aged 18 and older who have been administered at least one shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine by Sunday before the weekly Wednesday drawing is qualified to enter the lottery.
DeWine also said 104,386 younger people from Ohio from 12 to 17 years old had registered for an opportunity to win a four-year full college scholarship. The governor noted that the biggest increase was among individuals between 16 and 17 years of age.
Twenty to 49-year-old individuals experienced a 55 percent increase in vaccinations since the May 12 declaration. The lottery will be conducted from May 26 to June 23.
The Ohio Department of Health is also issuing Ohio's most recent COVID-19 numbers on Monday. COVID-19 case numbers continue to fall across the United States. Experts are recently declaring levels are as low as they were last June.
The plan attracted criticism from both Democrat and Republican lawmakers. They stated it is not proper to use federal pandemic dollars for a contest.
Ohio determines permanent residency using the same requirements that it uses for releasing a qualification to vote or driver's license. Ohioans under 18 could also win a scholarship, including tuition, room and board, and books, to any Ohio state university or college of their choice.
Related Article: New York Offers $5 Million Lottery Tickets for Those Who Will Get COVID-19 Vaccine
