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Media contact:
Lisa Cox, Missouri Department of Health and Elderly Services
[email protected]
JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Today Governor Mike Parson announced the winners of the first MO VIP draw. At the time of the August 13 draw, a total of 495,296 VIP MO entries had been received. The MO VIP encourages vaccination for those who have not yet been vaccinated, as well as an opportunity for rewards for the more than 3 million Missourians who have already made the decision to be protected by vaccination.
Of the 180 randomly selected winners in the first of five draws in the program, 170 were fully verified. The other 10 have until 5 p.m. Friday to fill out the necessary paperwork to verify their identity and immunization status, or prizes will be awarded on a preliminary basis to a replacement. Confirmed VIP MO winners can now be found at MOStopsCovid.com/win.
“We congratulate these 180 Missourians, not only for winning this draw, but above all for having decided to do the right thing and for having chosen to be vaccinated,” he added. Governor Parson noted. “Vaccines have been shown to be safe, effective and the best available resource for preventing serious illness from COVID-19. Vaccination is how we protect ourselves and those we protect from this virus. We have seen vaccine uptake increase since this program began, and we hope the inspirational stories from individuals like Cooper and Rebecca and the continuing $ 10,000 luck will further encourage Missourians to choose vaccination. “
Cooper Norton, 12, of St. Charles was one of 20 teenagers who won a MOST 529 education savings account. His younger sister, who is not yet eligible for vaccination, was born with cystic fibrosis. , a respiratory disorder that could become more problematic when combined with COVID-19. Along with the rest of his family, Cooper didn’t want to add any more risk of infection to his sister. Between that and the fact that every family doctor and family specialist recommended the vaccine, Norton and his parents decided it was right for him.
“You have a little more apprehension when it comes to your kids and making decisions for them,” said Shawna Norton, Cooper’s mom. “It wasn’t something we took lightly. In fact, we had multiple conversations with pediatricians and medical specialists to make sure it was the right choice given our family dynamics. After many conversations, each doctor recommended that we get Cooper vaccinated. It was obvious. We truly believe that getting the COVID-19 vaccine is the best thing we can do to help protect our daughter. “
Rebecca White, a young mother and graduate nurse from Steelville, was also thrilled to hear that she had won the MO VIP this month. White was no stranger to the fears and traumas that come with infertility issues. Before the birth of her children, she underwent fertility treatments and also had three miscarriages. Now a mother of four, White, who is also immunocompromised, was in the midst of her high-risk pregnancy with twins when she chose to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
“I received the vaccine for my family,” White said. “Now I have four children and I want to be there for them. I was susceptible to poor results if I were to contract COVID-19, and I wanted to protect my babies as much as possible. “
The healthy twins are now two months old, and White is relieved they all have antibodies to protect them from COVID-19.
“The fact that they’re here and healthy and have some protection from COVID-19 is amazing. I am grateful that I received the vaccine when I received it, ”White said. “I wanted to share my story so that I can be an example for other women who have been through this and are on the fence. I was on the fence too, so I understand. Now there has been a lot of research. There is so much more chance of having poor results if you are pregnant and contract COVID-19. ”
More than 400,000 doses have been administered by public providers since the launch of MO VIP. With combined state and federal immunization data, 61% of Missouri’s eligible population (12 years and older) have now started immunization.
Anyone who has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by the deadline can register for the draws at any time. MOStopsCovid.com. Each of the five draws will generate 180 winners, for a total of 900 winners in total. A cash prize of $ 10,000 will be awarded to a total of 800 adults (18+) and 100 teens, ages 12-17, will win an education savings account through Missouri’s MOST 529 program State Treasurer in the amount of $ 10,000.
Once a Missourian enters, their entry will be carried over to all drawings. It is not necessary to enter more than once. The entry list will be reviewed and duplicate entries will be removed prior to each draw. All winners will have their immunization status verified.
The next draw will take place this Friday, but entries must be entered online before 11:59 pm tonight.
Official rules, frequently asked questions and a program schedule are available at MOStopsCovid.com/win. Those who are unable to participate in the online raffle can get help by calling the COVID-19 hotline Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 877-435-8411.
Get the facts on COVID-19 vaccines and find a vaccine near you on MOStopsCovid.com.
Media elements:
- Raw photos and video clips of the winners
- Some MO VIP winners are willing to share their story publicly. For help getting in touch with these people, please contact Lisa Cox.
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About the Missouri Department of Health and Seniors Services: The department seeks to be the leader in the protection of human health and safety. You can find more information about DHSS at http://health.mo.gov or find us on Facebook and Twitter @HealthyLivingMo
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