Shot for $100 saves lives, moves us toward normalcy

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A phrase you might have heard around campus recently is “one shot for $100.” 

This is a program the Louisiana Department of Health started to encourage college students to get vaccinated. 

Many students are on the fence about getting the vaccine. 

But when offered $100, more students will decide to take the money and get the shot. 

And that’s a good thing. It’s going to help us move further down the road on our way back to “normal.”

While this incentive might be seen as unfair to many because those who have been previously vaccinated are not able to receive the money, we should look on the positive side. 

The state is trying to meet unvaccinated individuals in the middle with this program. 

The state needs more vaccinated people and college students need more money.

They know that it is a difficult time and they know that getting the vaccine can be a hard decision. 

But by offering students $100 to get the shot, I believe that they are taking the correct steps and catering to the college audience well. 

This program will be very beneficial to the community and our college campuses.

There is a massive amount of people that will get vaccinated because of the implementation of this program. 

The Louisiana Department of Health says this initiative is not only to reach higher vaccination rates but also to inform the community about the safety of the vaccine.

There has been a lot of mistrust surrounding the vaccine since its release. 

Much of this is due to the constant change of information from scientists and trusted sources. 

Even this week there is talk of a new booster shot for those that have already received the vaccine. 

While this variability in information can be confusing, I think we have to go with the best solution that is offered to us. 

Right now, that’s the vaccine.

I got my vaccine last March knowing that I would get nothing for it except my own reassurance. 

But I have several unvaccinated friends that are planning on getting their first shot because of the fact that they can get $100. 

This program is a great leap by the state to try and combat the rising case numbers and hospitalizations that have plagued the state since the entrance of the Delta variant. 

According to the LDH, 90% of COVID cases in the state are from unvaccinated individuals.  

This percentage increases when looking at COVID-related hospilazations and deaths.

College-aged students account for one the lowest rates of vaccination in the state with only 28% of 18-29 year olds being fully vaccinated. 

This same age group has the highest case numbers in the state. 

At the beginning of the pandemic older populations were being hit the worst and accounted for the majority of cases in the state. 

But as many of them have chosen to be vaccinated, the tables have turned on young people. 

Those of us that are not vaccinated need to do our part to help the community. 

The vaccine is FDA approved and is now required for you to be a student at ULM. 

Why not go get your first shot and get $100? 

You will be doing your part to help us return to some sense of normalcy and get some free money in the process. 

The National Guard will be on campus administering COVID vaccines every Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Brown Gym. 

Visa cards will be given to eligible students after the shot has been given.