Per CDC findings, higher vaccination rates helped slow the spread of highly contagious variants and prevent serious hospitalization and illness, especially in the most vulnerable communities.
Based on experiences with other non-mandatory vaccine efforts (i.e., influenza, H1N1 pandemic, etc.), evidence-based research shows that offering monetary incentives can result in higher adherence to promoted immunizations. In a brief authored by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) research showcased the following:
- “In 2015, the CDC Community Preventative Services Taskforce recommended incentives to increase vaccination rates. After a review of several meta-analysis studies of incentive programs implemented between 1980 and 2012, the Taskforce concluded that incentives increased vaccination rates by a median of 8 percentage points.
- A literature review of numerous vaccine incentive programs for people experiencing homelessness found that incentive programs increased vaccination uptake. During the H1N1 pandemic, 46 percent of individuals residing in homeless shelters participating in the incentive study chose to receive the H1N1 vaccine. This rate of vaccination is much higher than the 10 percent of the general population who chose to receive the vaccine. The authors find that incentives work best when paired with education about vaccines and interventions to ease vaccine concerns.”
Various U.S. territories, states, cities, and counties across the country created vaccine incentive programs to encourage individuals to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Harris County’s use of $12.5M for the COVID-19 Vaccine Incentive Program to increase the number of vaccinated residents was a reasonable use and helped increase vaccination participation. Harris County allocated the full adopted budget of this program to evidence-based interventions.