‘Get A Shot, Get A Hundred Bucks’: Milwaukee Mayor Announces Citywide COVID-19 Vaccine Incentives

The city of Milwaukee will offer residents who get vaccinated against COVID-19 a $100 gift card starting Thursday, Sept. 23.

The incentive program is similar to one started by the state of Wisconsin which coincided with more than 142,000 people getting their first shot between Aug. 20 and Sept.19. The statewide COVID-19 Vaccine Reward Program has since ended, but people who received a shot during that period can still submit their information until Sept. 30 to claim their $100 reward.

In announcing Milwaukee’s new incentive program Tuesday, Mayor Tom Barrett touted the importance of getting as many residents vaccinated as possible.

“Get a shot, get a hundred bucks. It’s that straightforward. You can’t go wrong,” he said.

The rewards will be available for people getting vaccinated at two city locations — the Northwest Health Center at 7630 W. Mills Road or the Southside Health Center at 1639 S. 23rd Street. Like the state’s vaccine reward, Milwaukee’s program is available to anyone currently eligible to get a shot, so 12 and older for the vaccine made by Pfizer and 18 and older for those getting Johnson & Johnson. One-thousand gift cards will be given out.

Both daily cases and deaths linked to COVID-19 are up in Milwaukee County after leveling off, and health officials say vaccinations are the best way out of the pandemic.

“We hope this incentive will encourage even more Milwaukee residents to prioritize getting their vaccine. There is no better time to get vaccinated,” said Milwaukee Health Department Commissioner Kirsten Johnson.

Current data shows those who are unvaccinated are 4 times more likely to contract COVID-19, 9 times more likely to be hospitalized and 11 times more likely to die from the virus than those who are fully vaccinated, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.