Greece: Get the jab and get 150 euros
Young people in Greece will now receive pre-paid cards worth 150 euros after their first covid jab. The cards can be used to pay for ferry tickets, accommodation, or tickets to concerts and museums, for example. The programme is directed towards roughly 940,000 people between 18 and 25, and the government has budgeted 141 million euros. It aims to reach a vaccination rate of just under 60 percent by the end of July.
Trying to buy support
News247 finds the government's offer immoral:
“Because it forces young citizens to think about getting vaccinated as something to be done for compensation instead of convincing them that it is their natural duty to do so. Instead of pedagogy, Mitsotakis is relying on enticements. ... Perhaps it is a clever tactic by Nea Dimokratia to reach out to the age group that gave it very little support in the 2019 election and with which it is also polling badly in current polls. Today's attempt to 'ingratiate' itself with the young aims to make them forget that last year Prime Minister Mitsotakis accused them of fuelling the pandemic.”
Even classier than hot dogs or ice cream
Protagon sees it as a good plan:
“Is it ethical to give people money to get vaccinated? That's the question you'll hear. But what is moral or immoral in view of the chaos we are facing? In the end, the only moral thing to do is to use every means at our disposal to stop disease, death and economic stagnation. ... In China people are given 12 eggs for getting vaccinated, in Serbia, 25 euros in cash. In America, hot dogs and a beer. Elsewhere, tickets to basketball games. The Israelis were given a Coke and a slice of pizza. In Indonesia, people were given a live chicken to slaughter. In Russia, an ice cream, in an Indian province, a nose piercing. At least we are honouring Greek culture.”