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| Lithuanian govt proposes paying pensioners to get Covid jabs in push to tackle vaccine hesitancy | Lithuanian govt proposes paying pensioners to get Covid jabs in push to tackle vaccine hesitancy |
| (14 days later) | |
| The Lithuanian government has proposed dishing out €100 payments to vaccine-wary pensioners aged 75 and over in a bid to motivate the age group to get jabbed against Covid, as their inoculation rate remains low. | The Lithuanian government has proposed dishing out €100 payments to vaccine-wary pensioners aged 75 and over in a bid to motivate the age group to get jabbed against Covid, as their inoculation rate remains low. |
| Speaking in a televised government meeting on Wednesday, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said that Vilnius is “unable to convince them to vaccinate otherwise.” | Speaking in a televised government meeting on Wednesday, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said that Vilnius is “unable to convince them to vaccinate otherwise.” |
| She went on to say that if a jab-for-cash scheme “helps at least some people to take the right decision and avoid [a] severe form of the disease, or death – this is an investment worth doing.” | She went on to say that if a jab-for-cash scheme “helps at least some people to take the right decision and avoid [a] severe form of the disease, or death – this is an investment worth doing.” |
| Social Security and Labor Minister Monika Navickienė also weighed in, noting that “there are over 270,000 people in Lithuania who are aged 75 years and over; they belong to a high-risk group and their immunization rates are significantly lower than those of other high-risk groups.” | Social Security and Labor Minister Monika Navickienė also weighed in, noting that “there are over 270,000 people in Lithuania who are aged 75 years and over; they belong to a high-risk group and their immunization rates are significantly lower than those of other high-risk groups.” |
| According to the minister, about 80,000 seniors in this group have either not been vaccinated or do not have antibodies from contracting the virus. | According to the minister, about 80,000 seniors in this group have either not been vaccinated or do not have antibodies from contracting the virus. |
| The ministry’s proposal aims to tackle fatality rates amongst pensioners, as two-thirds of its 5,134 Covid-related deaths have occurred in people aged 75 and higher. | The ministry’s proposal aims to tackle fatality rates amongst pensioners, as two-thirds of its 5,134 Covid-related deaths have occurred in people aged 75 and higher. |
| The move, if approved next week, will grant a one-off payment of €100 ($115) to pensioners who get fully vaccinated between September and November. Senior citizens who come forward for a booster shot by the end of March will also be eligible to receive a pay-out. Vilnius expects that the initiative could cost up to €27 million if all eligible pensioners were to receive the lump sum. | The move, if approved next week, will grant a one-off payment of €100 ($115) to pensioners who get fully vaccinated between September and November. Senior citizens who come forward for a booster shot by the end of March will also be eligible to receive a pay-out. Vilnius expects that the initiative could cost up to €27 million if all eligible pensioners were to receive the lump sum. |
| Lithuania is not the only country to offer cash incentives to motivate people to get vaccinated against the virus. Russia announced in August it was organizing a Covid-19 lottery of a thousand cash prizes worth around $1,300 each to boost its inoculation drive. | Lithuania is not the only country to offer cash incentives to motivate people to get vaccinated against the virus. Russia announced in August it was organizing a Covid-19 lottery of a thousand cash prizes worth around $1,300 each to boost its inoculation drive. |
| Slovakia announced a similar scheme in July of weekly cash prizes of up to €2 million for vaccinated people. Bratislava also launched another initiative of financial rewards for people who are able to convince someone else to get vaccinated, with higher pay-outs available if a skeptical elderly citizen can be persuaded. | Slovakia announced a similar scheme in July of weekly cash prizes of up to €2 million for vaccinated people. Bratislava also launched another initiative of financial rewards for people who are able to convince someone else to get vaccinated, with higher pay-outs available if a skeptical elderly citizen can be persuaded. |
| Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! | Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! |
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