Ohio’s Vax-a-Million drawings have captured the nation’s attention when it comes to COVID-19 vaccine incentives, but Cincinnati’s Kroger is promoting vaccines through its own million-dollar giveaways.
The supermarket chain will launch #CommunityImmunity this week, a campaign to encourage residents of Cincinnati and beyond to get vaccinated from coronavirus, a release says. Full details will be released later this week, but prizes will include five $1 million jackpots and 50 hauls of free groceries for a year.
The giveaway program will begin June 3 and is open to individuals who have received their COVID-19 vaccine at Kroger’s pharmacies, Kroger says. Individuals must be at least 12 years old for the Pfizer vaccine and 18 years old for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccines.
Kroger says that the promotion ties in with federal efforts to vaccinate at least 70% of the U.S. population by July 4.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that as of May 31, 50.5% of the country has received at least one dose of vaccine, while only 40.7% are fully vaccinated. In Ohio, 45.38% have begun a COVID-19 vaccine and 39.86% are fully vaccinated, according to Ohio’s coronavirus dashboard.
According to the CDC, a “fully vaccinated” person is one who is two weeks past their second dose of a two-dose vaccine (Pfizer and Moderna) or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine (J&J).
“The faster we reach community immunity, the sooner we can all get back to enjoying backyard barbecues, live music and gathering for special occasions,” Rodney McMullen, Kroger’s chairman and CEO, says in the release. “We greatly appreciate President Joe Biden’s leadership and partnership with the private sector to increase vaccinations among the U.S. population, especially people of color and individuals under age 30. As an employer, grocery provider, and community partner, the #CommunityImmunity giveaway is another way we are doing our part to help America recover from the public health crisis and safely return to normal.”
Kroger has distributed more than 4.6 million COVID-19 vaccines, the chain says.
Learn more about the #CommunityImmunity initiative on Kroger’s website. Find information about COVID-19 and vaccination locations on Ohio’s coronavirus portal.
This article appears in Jun 1 – Jul 6, 2021.
