MILWAUKEE — There is a new financial incentive for people in Milwaukee to get their first dose of the COVID vaccine.
On Feb. 1, Acting Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson announced that the city would be giving one thousand $100 gift cards to people who start the vaccine process. The gift cards are only available while supplies last. Last time the city gave a financial incentive like this, 1,000 people got their vaccine and the gift cards were gone in about four days.
The program begins Thursday, Feb. 3 and is only for those five and older.
Pfizer is asking federal regulators to approve vaccines for kids ages six months to four years old.
"I'm happy about it," said parent Peter Chworowsky about his two-year-old son, Nathan. "I'm going to get him vaccinated as soon as it's available."
An FDA committee will discuss it on Feb. 15.
"A two-dose series of the vaccine would likely be initially authorized, with a third dose likely for kids age two to four to follow in the near future," said Milwaukee County Chief Health Policy Advisor Dr. Ben Weston.
Health officials in Milwaukee say they will have the shots ready to go once it's approved.
In the meantime, Milwaukee Health Commissioner Dr. Kirsten Johnson says 56.5% of people in Milwaukee ages five and older have gotten at least one dose. That means more than 250,000 people in the city who are eligible are not vaccinated.
"I hope this incentive encourages those who are on the fence to make the life-saving decision to get vaccinated as soon as possible," Johnson said.
"We're seeing cases and hospitalizations begin to fall—and fall significantly—but we are not quite out of the woods yet," Weston said. "We remain with high case counts, crowded hospitals, and we have this new variant that may complicate our recovery and our trajectory as we trend down from omicron. So the single best thing you can do now really is to ensure that you're vaccinated, and importantly, to make sure you're boosted."
Chworowsky shares this message with parents who may not be convinced: "Don't be afraid of it, all the evidence says it's worse to get COVID-19 than to get the shot."
You can get a vaccine at various Milwaukee community clinics:
Northwest Health Center - 7630 W. Mill Rd.
- Mondays & Fridays: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
- Tuesdays & Thursdays: 12 - 6 p.m.
- Saturdays: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Southside Health Center - 1639 S. 23rd St.
- Mondays & Fridays: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
- Tuesdays & Thursdays: 12 - 6 p.m.
- Saturdays: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Menomonee Valley Site - 2401 W. St. Paul Ave.
- Monday, Wednesday, Fridays: 12 - 6 p.m.
- Tuesday & Thursday: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
According to city data, there are more than 250,000 people who have not gotten the vaccine.