Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine defended himself against backlash for funding the lottery with federal dollars.
It just might be the best incentive yet to get vaccinated: a shot at a million bucks. Ohio is offering its residents a chance to win $1 million along with their COVID-19 vaccinations.
Five Ohioans will get the prize money in a weekly lottery. And there’s good news — the odds of winning the vaccine lottery, at 1 in 5 million, are way better than winning the Powerball lottery odds of 1 in 300 million.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is facing backlash for using federal dollars to fund the lottery, but he says it’s worth it.
"I know that some may say, 'DeWine, you’re crazy! This million-dollar drawing idea of yours is a waste of money.'" DeWine tweeted. "But truly, the real waste at this point in the pandemic -- when the vaccine is readily available to anyone who wants it -- is a life lost to COVID-19."
Meanwhile, vaccination rates are on the upswing after going down. Around the nation, kids 12 to 15 are lining up for their shots. The CDC is set to ease guidelines for wearing masks indoors for fully vaccinated people in most places.
