The Kentucky Association of Health Plans is encouraging schools to hold COVID-19 vaccine clinics by offering a supply of $20 Mastercard gift cards.
The association announced its “Healthy Back-to-School” grant program to “increase vaccine access and acceptance by empowering local schools with funding for vaccine incentives,” according to a press release from KAHP. The gift cards may be awarded to students receiving their first dose or a booster of the COVID-19 vaccine, KAHP said. Individual schools are encouraged to apply and organize their own events or programs.
The incentive comes as the first day of school for many districts is fast approaching. Kentucky COVID-19 data shows coronavirus cases have increased previously in August and September as students return to the classroom.
Boone and Campbell counties have some of the highest vaccination rates in the state, with 71% and 74%, respectively, reporting as fully vaccinated. Kenton County is just out of the top five in Kentucky with 70.3% of its population fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Kentucky data shows vaccination rates gradually increase with age groups. Residents between ages 5 and 11 have a 20% reported vaccination rate. In residents age 12 to 24, the vaccination rates range from 43% to 48%, according to Kentucky Department for Public Health data.
Tom Stephens, executive director of KAHP, said this is an optional incentive for individual schools.
“Local school leaders know their communities well and are extremely effective at designing school programming to help increase youth COVID-19 vaccination,” Stephens said. “We want to empower them with resources to make clinics even more successful.”
He added that KAHP’s incentive programs with nonprofits and community organizations have proven to be effective.
“That’s exactly what we’re working to replicate at schools,” Stephens said.
