Worcester Youth Win Vax Prizes With More On The Way

WORCESTER, MA — Worcester handed out the first five prizes in a citywide coronavirus vaccine contest, but there are still chances for local young people to win.

Diana Davis, 22, Nadia Eshon, 15, and Fianna McGinn, 14, were awarded flat screen TVs and Nintendo Switch devices at a City Hall ceremony Monday afternoon. All it took to win was to get vaccinated.

Worcester will be giving out more prizes to young people with weekly awards through Nov. 11. The sweepstakes is open to any Worcester resident under age 24 who has been fully vaccinated (as of early October, vaccines were only available for people over age 12).

The contest is an effort to boost vaccination rates among young people. As of Sept. 28, about 66.4 percent of Worcester residents had been fully vaccinated. But city residents age 12 to 29 had the lowest vaccination rates of any age group in the city hovering between 44 and 49 percent fully vaccinated. Older groups were vaccinated at much higher rates — Worcester residents between 64 and 75 were 91 percent fully vaccinated, according to state data.

Worcester is also holding a series of vaccine clinics for youth offering $150 gift cards to local sneaker shops. The final clinic will be held Oct. 7 at the Boys & Girls Club.