While most communities across Alaska took advantage of vaccine incentive programs that also injected thousands of dollars into their local economies, Haines missed out.
Funded by the Alaska Chamber of Commerce and the Alaska Department of Health and Human Services, local chambers, tribal organizations, municipalities and borough governments applied for grant funding that awarded gift cards and other prizes for getting vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus.
Haines Chamber of Commerce board president Wendell Harren said the board, which experienced turnover at the time, was delayed in applying for funds because members and staff couldn’t come to agreement over whether to implement the program.
“There were concerns that it would cause resentment among those who had already gotten vaccinated and how effective it would be to give out these incentives to people,” Harren said.
A University of Alaska Anchorage economist told Alaska Public Media that some vaccine skeptics would only become further entrenched by such a program. In the same story, an Anchorage consultant said monetary vaccine incentives reveal an ideological split, and that they tend to incentivize those who lean left as opposed to those on the right, who are more interested in freedom from restrictions associated with the virus.
Despite the uncertainty within the Chamber, Harren also said the board did not act fast enough to put together an application for Haines to take advantage of the grant. “Assembling an actionable plan and application was ill timed with our staffing levels and board turnover. We just did not act quickly enough to take advantage of the grant.”
The Greater Sitka Chamber of Commerce doled out $75,000 worth of gift cards to Sitka businesses and cash drawings to residents who chose to get vaccinated. They also made residents who were already vaccinated eligible to win drawings. The program incentivized about 1,000 doses to be administered, said Rachel Roy, Sitka chamber executive director. The program raised their vaccination rate to 77% from the high 60s, she said.
“The goal was to get the people, if they were delaying getting the vaccine, to get it,” Roy said. “It was really nice to share the love into our community and our retail sector, and then encourage locals to shop.”
The Petersburg Borough’s EOC implemented its own program with the funds after its chamber of commerce elected not to apply, said its EOC incident commander Karl Hagerman. Petersburg also rewarded those who had already been vaccinated and those who used the incentive program to get a vaccine.
“I didn’t want to go through the exercise of having to answer 500 times, the question of, ‘These people waited and now they’re getting an opportunity to win money. What’s in it for me?’ We didn’t want to deal with that,” Hagerman said.
Hagerman said the Petersburg Medical Center administrator contacted him after the Petersburg Chamber of Commerce decided not to apply for the grant. Petersburg was awarded $15,000 based on its population and percentage of vaccinated residents.
“The hospital administrator here got wind of it and asked that I look into it,” Hagerman said. “Anything at that point, that would increase the vaccination rate, was a pretty good step forward. I contacted the Alaska Chamber of Commerce and they were more than willing to do it.”
The Juneau Chamber of Commerce distributed $40,000 in gift cards and $5,000 in cash drawings to locals. “I can’t tell you if I made someone come get an injection but it was certainly an award for doing so,” said Juneau Chamber of Commerce executive director Craig Dahl. “$45,000 went right back into the community.”
Wrangell’s tribal organization led the efforts in their community.
Haines Economic Development Corporation executive director Sally Anderson said she was unaware of the incentive program and that the board never discussed it. Haines Borough EOC spokesperson Alekka Fullerton and SEARHC administrator Stephanie Pattison also both said they were unaware of the program.
The Alaska Chamber of Commerce did not return repeated calls for comment.
Harren said the chamber is in need of additional membership and there are two open seats.