Want $51? DC will pay you to help people get vaccinated

D.C. said Monday that people who help unvaccinated friends, family and neighbors make a plan to get vaccinated and accompany them to a vaccination site can receive a $51 VISA gift card.

It’s being done through D.C.’s Take the Shot program, starting Tuesday.

The news comes days after Patrick Ashley of DC Health said vaccination numbers are “double or almost double” at sites with incentives to get vaccinated.

According to a news release, D.C. residents can redeem up to 11 gift cards (one card per unvaccinated D.C. resident that they accompany to a vaccination site).

The three participating sites are: RISE Demonstration Center (One Medical), Ron Brown High School (DC Health) and Anacostia High School (Safeway).

To get the free money, both the person assisting the unvaccinated person and the person slated to get jabbed must be at least 18 years old and have a state-issued ID.

The good news is the person getting the shot also gets $51.

But wait, there’s more.

If you’re getting your first shot, you’ll be entered into a lottery for a chance at:

  • A new car (one winner each week)
  • $10,000 for groceries, to cover approximately a year of free groceries (two winners each week)
  • A year of free Metro bus and train (multiple winners each week)

Per the release, only people getting vaccinated are eligible to enter the giveaway. Winners will be drawn on the following dates:

  • July 6 (individuals who were vaccinated June 19-June 26 are eligible)
  • July 13 (individuals who were vaccinated June 19-July 3 and did not win a previous drawing are eligible)
  • July 20 (individuals who were vaccinated June 19- July 10 and did not win a previous drawing are eligible)
  • July 27 (individuals who were vaccinated June 19- July 17 and did not win a previous drawing are eligible)

Get more info online.

DC Health’s dashboard indicates 60.1% of residents are partially or fully vaccinated as of Monday afternoon.


More Coronavirus News

Looking for more information? D.C., Maryland and Virginia are each releasing more data every day. Visit their official sites here: Virginia | Maryland | D.C.


Will Vitka

William Vitka is a Digital Writer/Editor for WTOP.com. He's been in the news industry for over a decade. Before joining WTOP, he worked for CBS News, Stuff Magazine, The New York Post and wrote a variety of books—about a dozen of them, with more to come.

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