I don’t understand why we are seeing freebies used to persuade people to get vaccinated.
In America, some states offer a free beer with a jab. Elsewhere in America you get a lottery ticket with a vaccine shot. If you’re the kind of person who likes to gamble you’re probably going without vaccines to see what happens.
In Thailand there’s a cow raffle to boost vaccine take-up. We could do that over here. Not with the AstraZeneca and Pfizer ones but with the 'Mooderna'. You can tell it’s been a while since I’ve been on stage.
A lot of these deals don’t make sense. Some people are set against the idea of being vaccinated, they read their “science” on Facebook and think it’s a conspiracy, but if you offer them a pint they’ll change their mind?
There is one scheme that makes sense.
In America, some dating apps are offering premium service if you get vaccinated before July 4. These are people who are trying to meet up with strangers in the hope of getting very much closer than two metres.
It’s a few weeks until I get my second dose and if I were to be offered a free beer or a lottery card I’d willingly accept it. I’d probably turn down the cow because my back garden isn’t big enough. I’d also turn down the premium dating app because my other half would be furious and I’d end up sleeping in the back garden, which as we have just heard, isn’t big enough.
Call me old fashioned but I think the best thing you get for free when you get the vaccine is the antibodies. That and an excuse to pretend you feel a little under the weather for three days so you can do less around the house.
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