B.C. not ruling out vaccine incentives, premier says after Manitoba announces lottery
Premier John Horgan doesn't think incentives are necessary to get more British Columbians vaccinated against COVID-19 – but he's not ruling them out, either.
Horgan was asked about the possibility of enticing fence-sitters on Wednesday, hours after Manitoba announced a lottery offering nearly $2 million in cash prizes and scholarships to those who roll up their sleeves and get their shots.
"I don't want to jinx it, but I do believe that we can get to our objectives without incentives," Horgan said. "But if it comes to that, we're not going to rule that out, not at all."
Manitoba is holding two draws, each with seven $100,000 prizes, as well as 10 scholarships of $25,000 that will be awarded to people between the ages of 12 and 17.
Everyone in the province who has received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine before Aug. 2 will be entered into the first draw, and those who have received both doses by Sept. 6 will be entered into the second.
When it comes to vaccination rates, Manitoba isn't far behind B.C. The prairie province has administered at least one dose to 69.7 per cent of eligible residents, compared to 72.4 per cent in British Columbia.
It's unclear how many more people B.C. will be able to vaccinate before hitting a wall – there are COVID-19 deniers, anti-vaxxers and others who are vehemently opposed to getting a shot – but Horgan said officials are "confident' the province can reach as high as 85 or 90 per cent buy-in.
Already, the province has started shifting its focus to second doses. Of the 384,472 shots administered over the last week, 202,353 have been first doses. That's an average of 28,907 per day, down from an average of 54,033 first doses per day in the previous week.
Horgan said the province's biggest hurdle is currently vaccine availability.
"We need more vaccine, and I've made that clear to the prime minister," the premier said. "These vaccines are in high demand and we don't produce them domestically, so we have a challenge there procuring supply."
Manitoba has also announced a vaccine passport that will be given to fully vaccinated residents two weeks after their second dose, and exempt them from some self-isolation requirements.
The topic of vaccine passports has been raised numerous times in B.C. over recent months, and Horgan said Wednesday that local officials still "haven't landed on that issue."
"We're not enthusiastic about it, quite frankly. This is health information at the end of the day," he said.
With files from CTV News Winnipeg's Kayla Rosen
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.