ST PAUL, Minn. — Editor's note: The video above first aired Oct. 14, 2022.
With vaccination numbers for younger Minnesota children stalling out, Governor Tim Walz is hoping a little incentive might change the minds of some parents.
On Tuesday Walz announced that the state is expanding its "Kids Deserve a Shot" program to include children between the ages of 5 and 11. Families that get a child in that age group vaccinated (both first and second dose) between January 1 and February 28 can claim a $200 VISA gift card. Eligible children who complete their COVID series in that time frame will also be entered in a drawing for one of five $100,000 college scholarships.
In a release sent out to news organizations, the Walz administration says while Minnesota is one of the leaders in getting 5 to 11-year-olds vaccinated, Tuesday's data release by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) said just 33% in that age group have received at least one dose.
"As Omicron surges across our nation, we’re continuing to use every resource we have to keep our families safe and healthy,” said Walz in a released statement. “There’s a lot of highly transmissible virus circulating in our communities, but getting our children 5-11 years old vaccinated gives them critical protection against severe illness and hospitalization from COVID-19 and helps keep them in school. You’ll get $200 cash in your pocket for getting this easy vaccination done at the start of the year.”
Parents can learn more about the "Kids Deserve a Shot" program and how to register for incentives by logging on to the MDH website. You can also access locations where COVID vaccinations are provided for children and teens.
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