Paid vacations, air travel, and an apartment valued at up to one million dollars are among the main prizes offered in Thailand, Indonesia, and Hong Kong to those who receive the COVID-19 vaccine, as countries in Asia grapple with citizens' reluctance to get vaccinated. Following the emergence of new, rapidly spreading strains of the coronavirus, which have led to increased infection rates in Southeast Asia in recent weeks, authorities have begun conducting lotteries with prizes to promote vaccination.
In the Mae Chaem district of Chiang Mai province in northern Thailand, where most residents are cattle herders, authorities started this month to hold a lottery to win a cow, which has seen immense success.
Best Prize
Inkhom Thongkham, a 65-year-old who won a one-year-old cow valued at 10,000 baht (320 dollars) after getting vaccinated, stated, "This is the best prize ever." Authorities say that the campaign, now in its second week, offering 27 cows, has motivated more than 50 percent of the district's 1,400 residents, most of whom are elderly and at risk of infection, to register for vaccination.
In Hong Kong, which has largely controlled the pandemic thus far, authorities fear that low vaccination rates could lead to a major outbreak. Among the incentives offered in the lottery for those receiving the vaccine are shopping vouchers, air travel, and a new apartment valued at 10.8 million Hong Kong dollars (1.4 million US dollars). Some companies are taking additional steps by offering paid vacation to vaccinated employees. One private fitness club is using the opposite approach, stating that its staff must be vaccinated by the end of June or they will be denied bonuses, promotions, and future salary increases.
Even in countries heavily affected by the pandemic, such as Indonesia, authorities are struggling to alleviate concerns about vaccines.
Thirty Times More
The official toll in Indonesia stands at over 1.9 million infections and 53,280 deaths due to the virus. Recent studies suggest that the actual spread may be thirty times greater. "I was afraid of dying right after getting vaccinated... then news emerged raising greater concerns that it contained (derivatives from) pigs," said Asif Saibodin, a 67-year-old from Cipayung in West Java. Authorities in Cipayung have found it particularly challenging to convince the elderly that vaccines are safe and halal, resorting to offering a live chicken to seniors who receive a vaccine dose.
Data from Indonesia’s Ministry of Health indicates that only five percent, or 8.8 million, of the population has received both doses of the vaccine, which falls far short of the target of vaccinating 181.5 million people by the end of the year.
