New York City to pay people $100 to get vaccinated

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - New York City will pay $100 to anyone who gets the coronavirus vaccine there, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Wednesday.

The new incentive will take effect on Friday, the mayor announced at a news conference.

To receive the money, New Yorkers will have to go to city-run vaccination sites. The funds are only for individuals receiving their first dose.

“We’ll say ‘thank you.’ We’ll say ‘we’re really glad that you got vaccinated for yourself, for your family, for your community, and here’s $100 to thank you for doing the right thing,’” said de Blasio.

“Not only do you get the $100, you then qualify to be able to do everything else that’s wonderful in this city, including the amazing concerts coming up,” he added.

The effort to boost the city’s vaccination rate comes as jurisdictions across the US seek to boost efforts to curb the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant.

New York City is mandating beginning in September that all municipal employees, including police officers, teachers and fire fighters, either get vaccinated or be subject to weekly virus testing.