City Council Announces Financial Support for Residents Still Needing COVID-19 Vaccine
Vaccine Green to Provide up to $100 to Residents to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine
[COLUMBUS, OH] City Council President Pro Tem Elizabeth Brown and the Columbus Urban League today begin a new program to help residents access the COVID-19 vaccine.
“Finding time to get vaccinated can be tough for working families, and we want to help,” said Pro Tem Brown. “If we are going to end this pandemic, we need to address the real barriers that stand in the way of people getting the shot.”
Residents taking the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine are eligible to receive $100. Those receiving the two-shot vaccines are eligible for $50 for the first shot and $50 for the second. To qualify, applicants must be Columbus residents, 12 or older, and get their vaccine on a date on or after today, June 15, 2021.
According to Columbus Public Health, 49.77 percent of Columbus residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 44.98 percent are fully vaccinated. Importantly, only one CelebrateOne zip code is over 50 percent vaccinated, and the lowest CelebrateOne zip code is only at 23% vaccinated.
The Columbus Urban League will act as the administrator and distributor of the program. Residents who are eligible may apply for their payments here: cul.org/vaccinegreen.
“We’re delighted to again partner with the City of Columbus and continue alleviating the financial losses suffered by people who contracted COVID-19,” said Stephanie Hightower, President & CEO of the Columbus Urban League. “We also applaud the idea of offering residents financial resources to break down barriers they face in protecting their long-term health. Not only shouldn’t you go broke because you got sick, you shouldn’t pay a penalty for trying to stay healthy. Many folks, particularly Black workers in jobs without paid time off, hesitate to schedule vaccinations because of lost wages or additional child care expenses. The City’s $100 vaccination initiative makes compassionate sense and practical cents.”
Previously, Pro Tem Brown worked with The Columbus Urban League to launch the Right to Recover program, which has been extended throughout the remainder of 2021. The program provides one-time financial relief to low-income workers infected with COVID-19 to help them be able to afford to take the time off work to recover from the illness and avoid spreading it to others in their workplace and community. For more information on Right to Recover, please visit https://www.cul.org/right-to-recover/.
“Improving vaccination rates is the fastest way to stop COVID-19—but no access to paid time off or childcare can create barriers that prevent people from getting vaccinated,” Brown continued. “This financial support aims to bridge accessibility gaps to promote an equitable recovery for every person in every neighborhood, especially in neighborhoods that were disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and continue to have vaccination rates under 50%.”
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