About a month ago, I wrote a column about how a vaccine lottery didn’t really seem necessary.
Supply was outpacing demand, and shots were going into arms.
But as times changed, maybe the idea should be revisited.
Governor Kay Ivey has already made it clear that she is not interested in this conversation, but maybe she should think about it.
Ivey has received the vaccine, and in her statement announcing there would be no vaccine incentives, she promoted them at the same time by saying the vaccines are effective and the “data proves they work.” She added, “Use your head and get a shot.”
Ivey is pro-vaccine. She can, should and must do more.
Right now, Alabama has the lowest rate in the nation, and maybe we should come up with a way to increase this.
No, a lottery can’t happen in Alabama, so let’s forget about that.
How about we offer up a card that offers you a sales tax rebate in every store in Alabama?
Select a few vaccinated Alabamians, and wipe their tax debt for a few years?
Season tickets to your favorite college football team and a mask-free photo with the team?
Let selected Alabamians hang out at the state’s beach house (is that still a thing?) or take a dip in the Governor’s Alabama-shaped pool?
You don’t want the government doing this? Fair enough.
Governor Ivey has very good relationships with businesses and manufacturers in this state. What better way to leverage that power and boost those local companies than roping them into this?
Maybe Mercedes and Toyota can offer up a few car giveaways to those who are vaccinated?
How about Shipt offering a free delivery service for a year?
A year of Dreamland Bar-B-Que?
Make it voluntary, make it retroactive, and make this into a “Made in Alabama” situation where everyone wins.
Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9AM weekdays on WVNN and on Talk 99.5 from 10AM to noon.
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