The vaccination lottery, a Government initiative meant to encourage vaccination, is scheduled to take place between October 1 and December 31, the Health Ministry announced.

Nineteen draws are planned by the end of December, with 1,139 prizes totaling RON 15 million (more than EUR 3 million). 

There will be 81 weekly prizes: 80 weekly prizes amounting to RON 10,000 (EUR 2,020) and one weekly prize worth RON 300,000 (EUR 60,606). Another three prizes - worth RON 100,000 (EUR 20,202) - will be granted monthly. Two other prizes, worth RON 500,000 (EUR 101,010) and RON 1 million (EUR 202,020), will be offered at the end of the lottery program.

The funding for the prizes is provided by the Economy Ministry. The fully vaccinated, who obtained the EU Covid-19 digital certificate, can register for the lottery.

“In this epidemiological context, with significant increases in the number of people infected with Covid-19, it is important to support the vaccination process, including by granting rewards,” Cseke Attila, the interim health minister, said.

At the end of August, the Government approved the ordinance outlining several measures intended to encourage people to get vaccinated against Covid-19. According to the ordinance, those who get fully vaccinated can also receive meal vouchers worth RON 100 (around EUR 20).

The number of daily Covid-19 cases increased constantly over the past weeks. The daily tally went from 1,849 on Monday, September 13, to 5,388 on Saturday, September 18. The daily number of those getting a vaccine against Covid-19 remained around 10,000 throughout the past week. The country is second to last in the EU on the uptake of at least one vaccine dose among those older than 18, with 33.6% of the population vaccinated, according to the Covid-19 Vaccine Tracker of the European Center for Disease Prevention.  

(Photo: Gabriel Petrescu/ Dreamstime)

simona@romania-insider.com