'All For It': Worcester Officials, Healthcare Workers Support Massachusetts 'VaxMillions' Vaccine Lottery
WORCESTER (CBS) -- Antonia Porcalatis admits it has taken some convincing to finally get the vaccine.
"Stories of people being sick, and people dying because of the shot. But it's all a myth," said Procalatis.
She took advantage of a free COVID clinic being offered in the city of Worcester, and now plans to take advantage of the state's new vaccine lottery.
"As soon as I get home," said Porcalatis when asked if she'll now register.
Thursday is the first day that fully vaccinated people in Massachusetts can jump on a new website and register for a chance to win one million dollars. It's a little gimmicky for some people.
"It's a shame it has to come to that, to pay you to protect yourself," said Richard Gonzalez outside the Worcester clinic.
But Andrea Sivakova, a clinic volunteer and EMT, sees it as a great incentive.
"We've been doing a bunch of vaccine clinics and we're not seeing that many numbers. So if this does help, then definitely recommend it," she said.
In Worcester, at least 40 percent of the residents have not been vaccinated, a much lower number in black and latino communities.
City leaders have started a new push.
"We are not done with the coronavirus and the coronavirus is not done with us," said Worcester city manager Edward Augustus.
Officials are particularly concerned about the new delta variant among the unvaccinated since they say it is highly transmissible.
It if takes a lottery to generate interest Dr. Michael Hirsh with UMass Medical Center says any port in a storm.
"If we can get somebody more interested in vaccination by dangling the possibility of a million dollar prize, then I'm all for it," said Dr. Hirsh.
There will be five million dollar drawings for people 18 and older, and five $300,000 scholarships for those 12 to 17.
The first drawing is July 26 and registration is open until July 22.