Alameda Co. Resident Gets $50K Vaccine Lottery Prize

ALAMEDA COUNTY, CA — One Alameda County resident was among 15 lucky vaccinated winners tapped for a $50,000 prize from the state.

The winners were announced Friday morning but their names were not revealed. The state will call winners in the days to come and distribute the cash prizes once winners have been fully vaccinated.

Other Bay Area winners include three from Santa Clara County and two from San Francisco.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is facing recall, pulled the first 15 winners of the "Vax for the Win" lottery. Friday marked the beginning of a series of drawings that will lead up to the economy's reopening June 15. On that day, 10 people will receive $1.5 million prizes.

The controversial program seeks to incentivize COVID-19 vaccinations in the Golden State. Critics say that money for the $116 million vaccine lottery program could best be spent elsewhere.

A week into the program, it's too early to say if it's working, but Newsom on Friday implied that vaccination rates are beginning to climb again after plummeting for weeks.

"We are seeing vaccination rates across the spectrum improve — particularly in black and brown communities — although we recognize we still have work to do in that space," Newsom said.

More: Vaccine Lottery Winners $50K Richer Thanks To CA

— Patch Editor Paige Austin contributed to this report