Monica Rosario listens to the Hot Club of Las Vegas perform in a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Las Vegas Convention Center Saturday, April 24, 2021. The entertainment is part of the “Create Our Recovery” concert series which started Saturday.
Tuesday, June 22, 2021 | 2 a.m.
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Nevadans who are eligible for the state’s new vaccination raffle could take home some really nice prizes, but they’re actually winners already. In getting their shots, they’ve done their part to protect the health and well-being of themselves, their families, their neighbors, and keep the state on its road to recovery.
The weekly raffle, which will begin July 8, is for Nevadans who have been fully vaccinated since the rollout began in December or will get their shots in coming weeks.
It’s designed to encourage those who haven’t received their vaccinations to come forward, which is a noble purpose. Just shy of 60% of eligible Nevada adults have received at least one dose, and raising that percentage will only harden our protections against COVID-19.
But the prizes, worth a combined $5 million, also serve as a reward for those who already stepped up, which is also appropriate.
Winners will be randomly selected from lists of vaccinated residents — no entry process is required. Among the nearly 2,000 prizes:
• College savings accounts for children ages 12 to 17, ranging in value from $5,000 to $50,000.
• Cash prizes for adults: 100 awards of $1,000, 32 for $25,000, 11 for $50,000, two for $100,000, three for $250,000 and a $1 million grand prize.
• For Nevadans of all ages, there will be 500 Nevada state park annual passes and 1,250 state fishing licenses.
Drawings will be held every Thursday through Aug. 26.
To Nevadans who have been vaccinated, good luck. To those who haven’t, we encourage you to roll up your sleeve as soon as possible. It’s not only the right thing to do for yourself and fellow Nevadans, but it could leave you with a nice chunk of change in your pocket.
Our state is coming back to life after the apocalyptic-feeling days of boarded-up casinos and empty streets, but the coronavirus remains a lethal threat. The death rate among Nevadans has averaged more than two per day during the most recent two-week reporting period, and the positivity rate ticked up over that time.
As has been the case throughout this crisis, the key to protecting Nevadans falls to all of us. While masking and social distancing requirements have largely fallen by the wayside, vaccinations remain the strongest defense against new outbreaks of COVID-19 and its variants.
The good news is that Clark County is well-stocked with supplies of the vaccination, and shots are readily available at both public clinics and private businesses throughout the region. For a full list, as well as information on transportation resources, visit immunizenevada.org/county-specific-covid-19-vaccine-sites.
It will be well worth your trip. Regardless of whether your number comes up in the lottery, your neighbors will thank you.
