State and local governments may soon begin to provide people with payments of $100 to obtain vaccines under the direct order of President Joe Biden to increase the country’s vaccination rates.

Biden called on state and local governments to allocate funds from his US$1.9 trillion US rescue plan and provide a payment of US$100 to people who have not yet been vaccinated.

The U.S. Treasury Department said on Thursday that the Ben Franklins will provide “additional incentives to increase vaccination rates, protect communities and save lives.”

“The Treasury Department stands ready to provide technical assistance to state and local governments so that they can use funds effectively,” the department’s statement read.

This will be used to “support increased vaccination in their communities, and the Ministry of Finance will work with the Ministry of Health and Human Services throughout the process.”

Biden has been criticized for ignoring the issue of mandatory vaccination by the military and announced the news when discussing the coronavirus at the White House on Thursday.

“I know that paying people to get vaccinated might sound unfair to people who have already been vaccinated,” he began.

“But the deal is this: If incentives can help us defeat this virus, I believe we should use them. If we can get more people vaccinated, we will all benefit.”

Biden signed a $1.9 trillion rescue plan in March, including $350 billion in funding to help state and local governments recover from the coronavirus.

His statement also followed the guidelines of the Ministry of Finance, allowing local governments to obtain funding for such vaccine incentive programs.

Some states also provide vaccine incentives through lotteries, free food and other commodities.

A few days ago, New York City began offering a $100 voucher program-as the Delta variant quickly became the country’s most prominent Covid-19 case.

Biden also announced that all federal employees and subcontractors must be vaccinated in accordance with similar guidelines established by New York City and California.

The authorization will require such personnel to produce a vaccination certificate or perform regular on-site PCR tests to be negative.

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