Health Minister Christian Dube emphasized that the province hopes to do everything it can to encourage vaccination against COVID-19.

“Every additional percentage point is a victory,” he said at a press conference on Friday.

There are still about 80,000 people in Quebec between the ages of 18-34 who cannot meet the province’s goal of getting the first dose of vaccine this summer, which is 75%. Among all eligible age groups, 82% of Quebecers have received their first shot.

Dube said that the spread of the delta variant in other countries prompted the province to initiate a Benefits of vaccination! (“Vaccination has its benefits”) Cooperate with Loto-Québec to prevent a surge in hospital admissions due to the increase in delta cases among people with low vaccination rates.

Daniel Paré, who is in charge of the Quebec vaccination campaign, lacks specific data on the impact of such campaigns. He said that Quebec will pay close attention to any impact of the lottery on the vaccination trend line.

Vardit Ravitsky, a bioethicist and professor at the University of Montreal, said there are encouraging signs that incentives “between a million dollars and a chocolate bar” may help encourage some people to get vaccinated.

She said: “We don’t have reliable data from all over the world, but where it has been implemented in the United States and France, it seems to work.” This summer, Alberta and Manitoba will also hold vaccination draws.

But Lavitsky said that such incentives are unlikely to convince “people who have long opposed vaccines.” She said it can help people who have not seen rushing to receive injections, have not allowed time, or feel constrained with needles.

“For these people, there seem to be many, thousands, and this may be the last push,” she said.

The jackpot is $1 million

The first of the four weekly draws for Quebecers’ first injections will be held on August 6, when a cash prize of US$150,000 will be drawn for people 18 years and older, and two for people 12-17 years old. A bursary of US$10,000.

On September 3, a $1 million bonus will be drawn for fully vaccinated adults and a $16 grant will be drawn for fully vaccinated adolescents.

All Quebecers who have previously been vaccinated in the province or elsewhere (with evidence that they have received a vaccine approved by Health Canada) are eligible.

Quebec Vaccination Proof Portal They will be able to choose to participate in the competition starting on July 25th, and if they win one of the draws, participants must agree to disclose their names.