Merrillville offering shot incentive

Town hopes gift cards to first 200 who get a dose in December will boost rate

The town of Merrillville is hoping to give the COVID-19 vaccination effort a shot in the arm by providing residents a financial incentive.

Councilman Richard Hardaway, D-2nd, announced Tuesday that the town will be providing a $50 Visa gift card to the first 200 residents who show proof of either their completed vaccination, or their booster shot, with the shots having been administered on or after Dec. 1.

He said the program was devised by the Merrillville Fiscal Recovery Plan Committee as a means to encourage unvaccinated residents to complete their 2-step Moderna or Pfizer shots, 1-step Johnson & Johnson vaccine or booster shot if already vaccinated.

It will be funded with American Rescue Plan money the town received from the federal government.

“If it’s successful the committee will consider another gift program,” Hardaway said.

The first round of gift cards will cost more than $10,000, including associated fees to obtain the cards.

Merrillville will receive more than $7.8 million in ARP funding over the next two years to help the town recover from the pandemic. The incentive program is an allowable use of the funds.

“The gift card program is meant to encourage residents to get vaccinated against COVID19, which will in turn help keep all Merrillville residents healthy and assist the town to get through this terrible pandemic. With more residents vaccinated it will also assist area businesses in keeping customer interactions safer no matter what type of business they operate in town,” the council stated in a news release.

In a separate effort, Councilwoman Margaret Uzelac, D-4th, said she’s giving rides to individuals in her ward to get their vaccine shots.

According to the Indiana Department of Health vaccine dashboard, 51.4% of all Lake County residents ages 5 and older

are fully vaccinated.

To get their gift cards, eligible residents must present their vaccination card along with a valid driver’s license or state ID with their current Merrillville address at the planning and building department in town hall, 7820 Broadway, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Residents will be required to sign for the gift card, which will be given out during that visit, since it is part of a federally funded program and proper accounting is

needed.