Vaccine Incentives Could Be Coming To Cobb County

COBB COUNTY, GA — Lisa Cupid, chair of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners, said she is looking over to DeKalb County for inspiration on ramping up vaccination rates in Cobb County.

DeKalb County has been offering prepaid debit cards — first for $50, then for $100 — to any person who gets a COVID-19 vaccination during designated vaccine events, with 2,500 people getting vaccinated at the most recent event Aug. 28. Cupid said she was interested in doing something similar during an interview with WABE Atlanta on Tuesday, The Marietta Daily Journal reported.

"We've been having that discussion internally in the county as well," Cupid said. WABE's Rose Scott interjected saying the county has the money to do so.

"We're fortunate, both of our systems — Cobb County government and the school system — have both received [American Rescue Plan Act] funds," Cupid responded. "So this is to me not a matter of resources, it's about political will."

As of Thursday, 434,366 eligible Cobb County residents — or 58 percent — have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 52 percent have been fully vaccinated, or 387,872 residents, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Commissioners JoAnn Birrell and Keli Gambrill, both Republicans, told The MDJ that they did not support a vaccine incentive program. The program would have to be voted on by commissioners.

Read more from The Marietta Daily Journal here.

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