For vaccine wary a $200 incentive is a joke

Vaccines are here to prevent COVID-19. While the rollout has been a nightmare and those who want it are clamoring to get it there are still many who either don’t believe in any vaccines whatsoever or those who are hesitant thinking that Operation Warp Speed was a little too speedy.

New Jersey wants at least 70% of us to get this vaccine in order to achieve herd immunity but the numbers don’t look good. Polling has shown 36% to 47% of New Jerseyans would avoid it.

Now if you’re in that category, people who are concerned about getting a vaccination, would an incentive do anything?

I would think $200 would be pretty meaningless incentive for somebody who is actually afraid of some unknown reaction or some down-the-road calamity from the COVID-19 vaccine. But that’s exactly what’s being offered by German-based discount grocery chain Lidl. They are offering $200 to each employee who agrees to get this vaccine.

They say the money is to account for potential child care, transportation, etc., in order to make it easier to get the shot. They will also accommodate their employees’ work hours to make it happen.

The company says it’s been at the forefront of trying to take care of employees during this pandemic. Some of the measures they’ve already taken including supporting workers with free COVID-19 healthcare and installing hospital-grade filtration systems in their properties.

No employee who was already intending to get vaccinated is going to turn down the $200. But would that be enough incentive to sway anyone who was anywhere from hesitant to dead set against it? Doubtful. Especially at a time when there is now talk of these new mutations of the virus possibly not being stopped by the current vaccines. That would be a game changer no one wants to think about.

So if you’re against receiving a COVID-19 vaccine would any incentive work? $200 and tickets to Hamilton when Broadway resumes? $1000? $10,000? At that point obviously it becomes impractical for businesses to make such offers. But $200 certainly isn’t going to move the needle in my opinion.

But let’s see if I’m wrong. Answer our poll question below.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski. Any opinions expressed are Jeff Deminski's own.