Quebec is giving away $2-million in a vaccination lottery

Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé, Finance and Economy Minister Eric Girard and vaccine campaign director Daniel Paré announced a vaccination lottery as an incentive for Quebecers to get their first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines. The ministers, who made the announcement from Loto-Québec headquarters in Montreal, said that the provincial lottery is providing a total of $2-million in cash and scholarships.

Everyone who receives or schedules their first dose before July 31 is eligible for draws of $150,000 happening every Friday in August (Aug. 6, 13, 20, 27) and anyone who receives their second dose before Sept. 3 is eligible for the $1-million grand prize, to be drawn on Sept. 3.

Quebecers in the the 12–17 age groups who schedule and receive their vaccine doses are eligible to win scholarships rather than cash. There will be two draws per week of $10,000 scholarships, and 16 $20,000 scholarships will be awarded on Sept. 3. Lottery registration for this age group requires consent from a parent or guardian.

Registration for the Quebec vaccination lottery opens on July 25.

So far 82.7% of eligible Quebecers have received their first vaccine dose (45.7% are fully vaccinated), but among the 18–29 age group, only 69% have had their first shot. According to Dubé, 8% of COVID cases in Quebec are the Delta variant, up from 5% earlier this week, which is why officials are urging people to get vaccinated, get both doses and move up their appointments as much as possible. The new goal for Quebec is to have 75% of every age group fully vaccinated by Aug. 31.

For more about the lottery, please visit the Santé Québec website.

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