California announces $116.5 million in incentives to encourage vaccinations.

California will unveil $116.5 million in vaccine incentives In an effort to get more people vaccinated, California is enticing residents with a whopping $116.5 million in incentives, offering gift cards and cash prizes, including a $15 million grand prize to be split among 10 Californians who have been vaccinated against Covid-19. By Jessie Yeung, Melissa Macaya, Meg Wagner, Melissa Mahtani and Veronica Rocha, CNN CNN

In an effort to get more people vaccinated, California is enticing residents with a whopping $116.5 million in incentives, offering gift cards and cash prizes, including a $15 million grand prize to be split among 10 Californians who have been vaccinated against Covid-19.

The $116.5 million program, touted as "the biggest in the entire country," will include every resident who has already been vaccinated, and those who receive a shot before the state fully reopens on June 15, according to a release from Gov. Gavin Newsom's office. 

Starting today, the next two million residents vaccinated will be eligible for $100 million in gift cards, doled out in $50 increments as a prepaid Visa or grocery store gift card. 

The incentive festivities will include "$50,000 Fridays." There will be $50,000 up for grabs in the form of 30 cash prizes for those getting a Covid-19 shot on June 4 and June 11, with 15 winners selected on each date. 

About 50% of eligible Californians are already fully vaccinated and another 12% have received one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, but another 12 million residents are eligible but have not yet been inoculated. More than 37 million doses total have been administered in California — more than all but five nations in the world, according to Newsom. ...