- 2021-08-02 01:18:14
- LAST MODIFIED: 2024-12-16 22:32:24
Pizza for shots: UK targets young with vaccine incentives
Photo: Collected
International Desk: Dhaka, Aug-02,
Restaurants,
ride-hailing apps and food delivery services are backing Britain’s COVID-19
vaccination drive, offering discounts and even free slices of pizza to persuade
young people to roll up their sleeves and get the shot.
The program, announced
Sunday by the Department of Health and Social Care, is designed to boost the
vaccination rate among adults under 30 as Britain races to inoculate as many
people as possible before colder weather arrives.
While more than 90% of
adults in Britain have received at least one dose of vaccine, the rate for
people between the ages of 18 and 30 is about 60%, according to government
statistics.
As he thanked
businesses for helping out, Health Secretary Sajid Javid urged people to “take
advantage of the discounts.” Uber, Bolt, Deliveroo and Pizza Pilgrims are among
the brands to offer incentives.
“The lifesaving
vaccines not only protect you, your loved ones and your community, but they are
helping to bring us back together by allowing you to get back to doing the
things you’ve missed,” he said.
Britain is not the only
nation to try more carrot — and less stick — to persuade the reluctant to roll
up their sleeves. U.S. President Joe Biden this week called on states and local
governments to join New York and Minnesota in offering $100 rewards, hoping a
financial incentive will spur the hesitant to be vaccinated as the highly
contagious delta variant sweeps through parts of the country.
Britain is keen to
increase vaccination rates amid a surge in new infections as the government
seeks to fully re-open society.
Meanwhile, politicians
are anxious to bolster the economy as the national furlough program, which
guaranteed the wages of millions of people who were unable to work due to
government restrictions, comes to an end.
Treasury chief Rishi
Sunak is urging Prime Minister Boris Johnson to ease international travel
restrictions, arguing that Britain’s “draconian” rules are unnecessary given
the success of the vaccination program.
The Sunday Times
reported that Sunak wrote to Johnson to encourage him to let people enjoy their
summer holidays, while expressing concern about the impact the restrictions are
having on tourism and the hospitality industry.
Johnson’s Cabinet will
meet later this week to review the current travel rules, which require
expensive COVID-19 testing for people arriving from most popular holiday
destinations in Europe and force anyone coming from France to self-isolate for
up to 10 days.
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