The City of Phoenix will soon be offering Valley residents a $ 100 gift card to receive a full COVID-19 vaccination. The pilot will start with just 1,000 gift cards distributed, but Phoenix would likely fund more if the gift cards were found to increase vaccination rates. “What We Want To Do Over The Next Months: See These 1,000 Gift Cards Increase The Numbers Of People Being Vaccinated In Our Underserved Communities,” Deputy City Director Jeff Barton said during the city council meeting last week. “If we actually see an increase in the number of vaccinations, we would go back to the Council and ask for additional resources to continue this program. If we don’t, we’d stop here. ”The gift cards are given out at local grocery stores, grocery chains or gas stations. Other incentives donated by the city’s clinical partners in distributing the vaccines include food boxes or backpacks for children. The city council approved the $ 100 vaccination incentive gift cards from Tuesday, September 6th to 2nd, September 14th. The vote was combined with a pilot family aid funding program that will pay 1,000 Phoenix families $ 1,000 per month for 12 months. READ MORE: Phoenix Pays $ 12,000 a Year to 1,000 Families from Coronavirus Family Relief Fund Councilors Sal DiCiccio and Jim Waring were the no-votes. Councilor Ann O’Brien was absent. Both programs are paid for from federal coronavirus funds through the American Rescue Plan Act. The city council last week approved a spending plan for its entire $ 196 million share of ARPA funding. In late July, President Joe Biden announced and encouraged the city to use ARPA funding for $ 100 coronavirus vaccine incentives. Phoenix has been offering COVID-19 vaccinations via its two mobile test vehicles since last week. “We’re in the vaccine game now,” Barton said on Tuesday, September 14th. The vans previously only offered coronavirus tests. From Monday, September 13, the vans will be offering vaccinations in addition to the tests at their almost daily events. The vans prioritize underserved areas and areas with high transmission rates in the city. Click here for the schedule and locations of the vans’ testing and vaccination events. The gift card program costs ARPA funding of $ 100,000 or more when the pilot program expands. For a breakdown of Phoenix’s ARPA spending, click here. Mark Carlisle can be reached at mcarlisle@iniusa.org or on Twitter @mwcarlisle. Mark CarlisleAssociate Editor | Independent every day | mcarlisle@iniusa.org Mark is passionate about keeping his readers up to date with exactly what is happening in their community. He also enjoys reading and writing about sports. Mark has worked for independent newsmedia for three years. He’s getting married to his high school sweetheart in November and recently adopted a boxer mix. Twitter: @mwcarlisle
[ad_2]
