Minnesota launches ‘Kids Deserve a Shot’ vaccine incentive for 5-11-year-olds

(ABC 6 News) – Governor Tim Walz launched the next phase of the ‘Kids Deserve a Shot’ vaccine incentive program to encourage Minnesota families to get their kids 5- to 11-years-old fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The program, ‘Kids Deserve a Shot,’ encourages those 5 through 11 to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The program offers two sets of rewards.

While Minnesota is one of the leaders in the nation in vaccinating children 5- to-11 years old, this is still the lowest rate of vaccination among eligible age groups in the state. As the Omicron variant causes record-breaking new cases across the nation, Governor Walz launched the next phase of the ‘Kids Deserve a Shot’ program to help boost vaccination rates among this eligible age group, which will help protect children against severe illness and hospitalizations.

“As Omicron surges across our nation, we’re continuing to use every resource we have to keep our families safe and healthy,” said Governor Walz. “There’s a lot of highly transmissible virus circulating in our communities, but getting our children 5-11 years old vaccinated gives them critical protection against severe illness and hospitalization from COVID-19 and helps keep them in school. You’ll get $200 cash in your pocket for getting this easy vaccination done at the start of the year.”

$200 Visa Gift Cards

Minnesota families who get their 5- to 11-year-old fully vaccinated in January and February can get a $200 Visa gift card. In order to be eligible, Minnesotans 5-11 must receive their first and second dose between January 1 and February 28.

Registration for the $200 Visa gift card will open at 10:00am on January 24, 2022 and close at 11:59pm on February 28, 2022. Parents/Guardians can register their 5- to 11-year-old once they have completed their two-dose series.

$100,000 Minnesota College Scholarship Drawings

Later this spring, there will be drawings for five $100,000 Minnesota college scholarship drawings for all Minnesotans 5-11 years old who are fully vaccinated. All Minnesotans 5-11 years old who completed their first and second doses at any point up to the registration deadline will be eligible to be entered for a chance to win a $100,000 college scholarship. Details on the drawings will be announced in the coming months.

Minnesotans can learn more about the ‘Kids Deserve a Shot’ program at: https://mn.gov/covid19/vaccine/vaccine-rewards/kids-deserve-a-shot/index.jsp.