$100 shot incentive open to everyone

Lincoln Parish residents who get the COVID-19 vaccine at Louisiana Tech University or Grambling State University, including non-students, will now receive $100 after their first shot.

The “Shot for $100” vaccine incentive program that was previously for college students only has been extended to all Louisiana residents, Gov. John Bel Edwards’ office announced Friday.

Introduced in August ahead of the fall semester, Shot for $100 awarded students with a $100 Visa gift card for getting the inoculation at a participating location, including Tech and GSU, as a way to encourage more of that population to get vaccinated as classes began.

Now the effort, with much the same format, is extended to anyone, in a further push to increase the state’s lackluster vaccination rate.

Individuals will receive a deactivated card upon vaccination, and after registering online at ShotFor100.com, the card will be loaded with $100. The program will end Oct. 30 or until supplies run out.

In a letter to campus on Monday, Tech President Les Guice said the university continues to offer free COVID-19 vaccines at the Ropp Center on campus on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Wednesday option was added last week.

Grambling State’s vaccine clinic is at T.H. Harris Auditorium on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., according to its website.

The only other participating location for Shot for $100 in the Lincoln Parish-inclusive Region 8 is the Student Union on University of Louisiana-Monroe campus.

“Our COVID data show that Louisiana is thankfully coming down from our fourth and most dangerous surge,” State Health Officer Dr. Joseph Kanter said in a release. “That’s the good news. Unfortunately, the bad news is that we still have a lot of COVID in all 64 parishes. We must do everything we can to stay safe and stop the next surge, and that includes getting the COVID vaccine.”