Maryland COVID-19 booster shot lottery to award $2 million in cash prizes

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - A new Maryland COVID-19 booster shot lottery will give out $2 million in cash prizes to 12 residents who have received their booster shot as incentive for more people to get the additional dose of the vaccine.

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Governor Larry Hogan announced the VaxCash 2.0 promotion Tuesday.

"The biggest takeaway from the Omicron surge is just how critically important it is to get a booster shot," Hogan said in a statement. "It is clear that getting fully protected with a booster is the single most important thing you can do right now to minimize the impact of COVID-19 and its variants and to help us all finally move on from this pandemic."

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Several studies released in January offered evidence that COVID-19 vaccines stand up to the omicron variant among people who received booster shots.

The initial $500,000 VaxCash drawing will be held on Feb. 15. Prizes of $50,000 will be awarded weekly for the following 10 weeks. A grand prize of $1 million will be awarded on May 3.

Hogan said Maryland residents 18 and older who have received their primary COVID-19 vaccinations and their booster shot in Maryland at any time are eligible and no registration or entry is needed.

Marylanders can schedule their vaccine online at MarylandVax.org