CLAYTON, Mo. (KMOX) - The St. Louis County Council voted Tuesday night to hand out $50 and $100 gift cards to entice people to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The measure authored by Councilwoman Sholanda Webb did face some resistance, with Councilman Ernie Trakas voting no.
"I cannot support the bill," Trakas said during debate. "Because I do not think it is fair to entice people to, perhaps, change their mind or do something they otherwise would not be willing to do."
The bill was given preliminary approval - or perfection - and the panel agreed to suspend the rules to give it final approval right afterwards. It authorizes the spending of $875,000 in American Rescue Plan funds to purchase $50 and $100 gift cards from grocery stores, restaurants and gas stations, along with other local businesses. The St. Louis County departments of Public Health and Human Services will be implementing the program, getting the gift cards and providing them to vaccination sites.
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Councilman Tim Fitch also had reservations about the vaccine incentive program for the same reason, but he voted in favor.
"I echo many of the sentiments of Councilman Trakas, but I also believe that if Councilwoman Webb believes this is important to get people vaccinated in her council district, then I will support that," Fitch says.
Webb understands the resistance, and had worked with members of the Council, along with the community, to get her bill to where it would be acceptable.
"The reason that I'm pushing for this vaccination incentive program is that nothing beats a failure but a try," Webb said before the vote. "And we have to try to vaccinate as many people in our community as possible."
Webb represents north St. Louis County, where vaccination rates have been below the rest of the region, and where residents have been among the hardest impacted by the pandemic. A timeline to distribute the incentive gift cards has yet to be worked out.
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