3 Angelenos Win Vax Lottery; Discounts For The Vaccinated

LOS ANGELES, CA — Three more Los Angeles residents won $50,000 in California's COVID-19 vaccine lottery Friday leading up to next week's drawing of 10 $1.5 million grand prizes. The jackpot drawing will take place June 15 — the same day the state fully reopens the economy.

The state is well-positioned for the reopening with one of the lowest infection rates in the nation. Transmission of the coronavirus has remained low for weeks, thanks, in large part to high vaccination rates and natural immunity in Los Angeles, which was hit so hard in the winter surge.

Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state's Health and Human Services secretary, said this week that 65% of California residents have received at least one dose of vaccine, while 53% are fully vaccinated. Ghaly noted that the state's rate of residents with at least one dose is likely above 70%, due to delays in reporting.

Gov. Gavin Newsom credited the state's "Vax for the Win" incentive program for making California one of the few states to see the vaccination rate rise over the last week. According to Newsom, the state has seen a 13% week-over-week uptick in the number of vaccines administered. It's a several of a weeks-long trend of declining vaccination rates.

The new Vax lottery winners join 15 who were chosen last week as part of the state's $116.5 million "Vax for the Win" incentive program announced by Newsom in hopes of luring people to get the COVID-19 shots.

The winners chosen Friday were not publicly identified, with recipients picked using a lottery-type system of numbered ping-pong balls, with the numbers corresponding with one of the state's 21.98 million eligible residents.

Winners will be contacted by the state in the coming days. Newsom, who oversaw the selection ceremony remotely from Vista in San Diego County, noted that two of the 15 winners chosen last week could not be reached, and two alternate winners were chosen from last week's finalists.

Of all eligible residents, the pool was randomly pared down to 200, then winnowed to 50. The final selection was done using a Bingo-style machine, with 50 numbered balls dropping into a twirling cylinder, from which the 15 winners were chosen.

Almost everyone in the state who has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine is eligible for the drawing. However, to actually receive the money, winners will have to complete the vaccination protocol by receiving their second dose, unless they received the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Employees of the governor's office and various other state agencies were ineligible for the drawing, along with people who are incarcerated.

At the event in Vista, Newsom presented a ceremonial $50,000 check to one of the winners from last week's drawing, 17-year-old Nancy Gutierrez. Since she is under 18, her prize will actually be placed into a savings account until she turns 18.

Under the state's "Vax for the Win" program, $50 gift or grocery cards are being awarded to 2 million people who get their first dose of vaccine, while supplies last.

On Tuesday, the day California lifts the bulk of its COVID-19 restrictions, the state will pick 10 winners who will receive $1.5 million each.

Newsom stressed there is more work to be done to improve vaccination rates among hard-hit communities, particularly among Black and Latino residents. He noted that additional incentives are being offered by some businesses next week to people who are vaccinated:

• Taco Bell will provide one free beef Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos taco to vaccinated customers on Tuesday;
• Chipotle will give vaccinated customers a free topping or side serving of Queso Blanco with the purchase of a full-priced entree item on Tuesday;
• the Los Angeles Clippers will provide vaccinated customers a 15% discount on team merchandise in its online store from Tuesday through June 20; and
• the Staples Center Team LA Store will provide a 15% discount for vaccinated customers, also from Tuesday through June 20.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.