New York Covid-19 Vaccine Incentive Programs Food Tickets And Financial Rewards

During 2021, as New York worked to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates, numerous businesses, attractions, and government entities launched incentive programs to encourage residents to get vaccinated. These programs offered a wide range of freebies and discounts, from food items to event tickets and even scholarships. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the vaccine incentives available in New York.

Food and Beverage Freebies

Many food and beverage establishments participated in New York's vaccine incentive programs, offering free items to those who could show proof of vaccination.

Krispy Kreme

The popular donut chain offered a free glazed donut to customers who presented their vaccination card at any participating U.S. location. Notably, this promotion allowed customers to receive one free donut every day for the remainder of 2021, providing an ongoing incentive for vaccinated individuals.

Shake Shack

Shake Shack implemented multiple vaccine-related promotions: - At all 25 Shake Shack locations in New York City, customers could receive a free side of Crinkle Cut Fries with the purchase of any burger or chicken sandwich by showing their CDC-issued vaccine card. This promotion ran through June 12. - Those who received their vaccine at one of New York City's mobile vaccine clinics could obtain a voucher for a free ShackBurger while supplies lasted. - The partnership between New York City and Shake Shack was officially announced by Mayor Bill de Blasio, who demonstrated the offer by eating a burger and fries during a press briefing.

Juniors Restaurant

Through Memorial Day 2021, Juniors restaurant offered a free mini cheesecake to anyone presenting their vaccination card at the Downtown Brooklyn location on Flatbush Ave. and Dekalb. The cheesecakes were adorably sized at 1.5 ounces.

Unilever Products

On Friday, May 14, 2021, Unilever provided free popsicles and Klondike shakes at select vaccination sites in New York, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Memphis, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Phoenix. This one-day promotion was specifically targeted at healthcare workers and people receiving the vaccine.

Transportation and Travel Incentives

Several transportation-related incentives were offered to encourage vaccination in New York.

MTA MetroCard

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) provided a free 7-day MetroCard to individuals who received their single-dose vaccine at one of the eight subway station vaccination pop-ups. This incentive made public transportation more accessible for newly vaccinated New Yorkers.

State Park Passes

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a program dubbed "a shot in the park," through which state parks offered free passes with access to any of New York's 16 state parks to anyone who got vaccinated at a state park vaccination site during a specific week. This initiative aimed to make outdoor recreation more accessible to vaccinated individuals.

Entertainment and Event Freebies

New York's sports teams and entertainment venues offered various incentives to encourage vaccination.

Sports Team Promotions

Yankees and Mets

Both New York baseball teams offered ticket incentives: - The Yankees provided complementary tickets to individuals who got vaccinated at Yankee Stadium. - The Mets offered a voucher for two tickets to future games to those who received their vaccine at Citi Field.

NFL, NASCAR, and MLS

Several national sports organizations also implemented vaccination incentives: - The NFL announced a giveaway of 50 Super Bowl tickets for vaccinated fans and offered a 25% discount at NFLShop.com. - NASCAR provided Daytona 500 tickets as vaccination incentives. - Major League Soccer (MLS) offered vaccinated fans a 30% discount on merchandise and the chance to attend the 2021 MLS All-Star Game.

Museum and Attraction Admissions

American Museum of Natural History

Individuals who received their vaccine under the famous blue whale exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History qualified for free future admission to the museum.

NYC Attractions

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that free tickets after vaccination would be offered by the following New York City attractions: - NYC Aquarium - Brooklyn Botanical Garden - Bronx Zoo - Lincoln Center - Brooklyn Cyclones - NYC Ferry - Public Theater

Financial and Educational Incentives

New York implemented several significant financial and educational incentives to encourage vaccination.

New York State Lottery Scholarships

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that New York State would raffle off 50 four-year scholarships to any public college or university in the State University of New York (SUNY) or City University of New York (CUNY) systems. These represented substantial educational incentives for vaccinated individuals.

Mega Multiplier Scratch-Off Lottery Tickets

New York offered a Mega Multiplier scratch-off lottery ticket to anyone who received a vaccine at one of the state's 10 mass-vaccination sites. The $20 lottery ticket came with a chance to win a top prize of $5 million. According to Governor Cuomo, the ticket provided a 1 in 9 chance of winning cash, with prizes beginning at $20.

Kroger Vaccine Lottery

While not specific to New York, Kroger implemented a nationwide vaccine lottery program where people who received their COVID-19 vaccine at Kroger or its family of stores could register for a chance to win one of five $1 million drawings.

State and Regional Incentives

Several other states implemented vaccine incentive programs that may have been of interest to New Yorkers or that demonstrated the broader trend of vaccination incentives.

Ohio's Lottery Program

Ohio implemented a vaccine lottery program that led to a 28% increase in vaccinations among people aged 16 and older the weekend after the announcement. The state also announced that it would give five full college scholarships to randomly chosen vaccinated students.

New Jersey's "Shot and a Beer" Campaign

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy launched a "shot and a beer" campaign offering anyone who received their COVID-19 shot in May a free beer at several local breweries.

Eligibility and Redemption Requirements

The vaccine incentive programs had various requirements for eligibility and redemption:

Proof of Vaccination

Most promotions required individuals to present their CDC-issued vaccination card to receive their incentive. Some businesses accepted proof from any location, while others restricted offers to specific New York locations.

On-site Vaccination Requirements

Some incentives, particularly those from sports teams and state parks, required individuals to receive their vaccine at the specific location to qualify for the incentive. Examples include: - Yankees tickets required vaccination at Yankee Stadium - Mets tickets required vaccination at Citi Field - State park passes required vaccination at state park vaccination sites - Free 7-day MetroCard required vaccination at subway station vaccination pop-ups

Time-Limited Offers

Many promotions had specific expiration dates: - Shake Shack's free fries offer was available through June 12 - Juniors' mini cheesecake offer was available through Memorial Day - Unilever's popsicles and shakes were only available on May 14 - The Krispy Kreme donut offer extended through the end of 2021

Supply Limitations

Some offers were subject to availability while supplies lasted: - Shake Shack's free burger vouchers for those vaccinated at mobile clinics - Various lottery ticket programs had limited quantities

Effectiveness of Vaccine Incentives

The incentive programs appeared to have a positive effect on vaccination rates in some areas. According to the sources, Ohio saw a 28% increase in vaccinations among people aged 16 and older the weekend after announcing its vaccine lottery program. While similar specific data for New York wasn't provided in the sources, the variety and value of incentives suggested that New York's program was designed to address similar concerns about declining vaccination rates.

Conclusion

New York's COVID-19 vaccine incentive program offered a diverse array of rewards to encourage residents to get vaccinated, ranging from immediate gratifications like free food to substantial incentives like college scholarships and lottery prizes. These programs demonstrated both public and private sector efforts to increase vaccination rates through tangible benefits. The variety of offerings catered to different demographics and interests, from food lovers and sports fans to students and outdoor enthusiasts. While most of these specific promotions had expiration dates in 2021, they represented a significant effort to make vaccination more appealing to New Yorkers.

Sources

1. Shades of Long Island - Here are all the freebies that come with a COVID shot or proof of vaccination
2. Secret NYC - Vaccine Freebies NYC
3. Democrat and Chronicle - Scratch-offs, beer and more: Here's the free stuff you can get with your NY COVID vaccine
4. Today - 7 deals and food freebies you can score for a COVID-19 vaccine
5. CBS News - COVID vaccine: New York offers free Shake Shack fries
6. Cheapism - COVID Vaccine Freebies
7. CNBC - NY COVID vaccine rates plummet as states roll out more freebies for shots