A BOLD new proposal would give Americans a $1,500 stimulus check just for getting a Covid vaccine.
The idea, brought forth by former Democratic Maryland Sen John Delaney, comes as 42percent of Americans in a recent poll said they would not get a shot.
“We have to create, in my judgment, an incentive for people to really accelerate their thinking about taking the vaccine,” Delaney said in an interview with CNBC.
The former Senator said people do have a right to choose not to get the shot– but would lose out on the health benefits and faster herd immunity with more widespread vaccination.
“The faster we get 75% of this country vaccinated, the faster we end Covid and the sooner everything returns to normal, which means we don’t need any more programs,” he told CNBC.
Under Delaney’s proposal, individuals who got the shot would get a number – which they would enter with their Social Security number, CNBC reported.
After entering the info, people would be sent a $1,500 stimulus check.
Delaney’s proposal would cost the government an estimated $380billion – an increase from the last total when the first round of $1,200 checks were sent out over the spring, CNBC reported.
The US government gave out over $270billion in the first round of checks.
Delaney’s cash incentive proposal comes as 42percent of Americans in a recent poll said they would not get a Covid-19 vaccine – even after it’s given the green light by the FDA.
Two companies, Pfizer and Moderna, are set to have public hearings for emergency use authorizations of their respective vaccines in coming weeks.
If given the emergency approval, the companies hope to begin rollout of the shots in just a matter of days.
Under a Gallup poll, 58percent of Americans in mid-November said they would get a shot – an increase from a previous 50-50 split in mid-September.
With nearly two in five Americans indicating they would not get a shot, however, it proves there may be obstacles for health and government officials as they work to establish herd immunity.
Delaney told CNBC it was “tragic” that the US government has yet to send out another stimulus package.
Despite the Heroes Act being passed in the House in May, Democrats and Republicans have yet to come to an agreement on a coronavirus deal.
Members of Congress this week currently introduced a bipartisan stimulus package that would give $900billion in aid.
The bipartisan proposal would extend unemployment benefits and fund vaccines – but does not currently include funds for another round of checks directly to Americans.
As of Thursday evening, more than 14million coronavirus cases had been confirmed in the US.
More than 275,000 Americans have died from the virus.
