The Mayor of Moscow announced free cars in a prize draw for residents who take the COVID-19 jab.
This prize is being offered to people as part of the authorities’ efforts to speed up the slow vaccination rate, even as the officials introduced curbs to halt the surge in coronavirus cases. Moscow had reported 7,704 new infections on June 13 — the most in a single day since Dec. 24 – and confirmed 14,723 cases nationwide, the largest one-day total since Feb. 13.
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Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that people over 18, who took the first of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine between June 14 until July 11, would automatically enter a draw to win a car. Five cars worth 1 million roubles ($13,900) each would be given away every week, he said.
Lamenting the fact that few residents chose to take the vaccine, he had said on May 21 that 1.3 million out of a population of more than 12 million had received one dose. The city was reserving thousands of hospital beds for an influx of COVID-19 patients, he said while urging residents to stay off work this coming week to help curb the spread of the virus.
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Meanwhile, sports pitches, playgrounds, and other attractions inside large parks would be closed for a week from Sunday, while bars and restaurants were ordered to close by 11pm. However, this was only a temporary solution to avoid new restrictions and secure a sustainably improved situation for significantly speed up vaccinations.”
Russia had begun rolling out its Sputnik V shot in December before opening up the jab rapidly to everyone in Moscow. (AW)
