COVID-19 Delta variant cases are soaring to new highs in Mississippi. Ashley Edwards, CEO of the Gulf Coast Business Council, says some companies recently began discussing what they could do to encourage more people to be vaccinated against coronavirus.
“We felt like we could do more, felt like there were other states that were showing some success with incentive programs. We got together to talk about what we can do, and this idea to create our own incentive program using private funding by our business community was born,” said Edwards.
Edwards says they will have the program operating in a few days. He adds three businesses that heard about the effort have already donated a combined $70,000. State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs says he applauds what businesses are doing to help. Over one million Mississippians have been vaccinated, but he says it will take another one million to achieve immunity in the state.
“One thing about getting the disease and immunity I want everybody to think about this, if you choose not to be immunized you’re choosing to get COVID unless you’ve had it before. And you’re also choosing to spread it to people in your sphere. Each person will spread it to eight to nine other people,” said Dobbs.
Ashley Edwards says they plan to have the first cash drawing in September and people who are already vaccinated can participate.
