The Ohio Department of Health says it tracked an increase in the vaccination rate since the creation of the $1 million sweepstakes.
The state had seen a slowdown in the rate of people getting vaccinated in April and May, prompting Gov. Mike DeWine to announce the "Ohio Vax-A-Million" sweepstakes to incentivize people to get the shot.
The Ohio Department of Health says it saw a 28% increase in people getting the COVID-19 vaccine the weekend after the drawing was announced by people 16 and older, from May 14 to May 17. That's compared to the previous weekend which saw a 25% drop in vaccinations from April 30 to May 3 numbers.
Since the announcement of a lottery, the overall number of vaccinations has also increased by more than 141,000 people. However, that's also when the state broadened eligibility for people ages 12-15.
There are critics of the lottery who say the $5 million in total prizes is a misuse of taxpayer dollars.
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