Editorial | Businesses can help drive vaccine uptake
- Overseas, firms are offering incentives to customers and employees who take the jab, an idea that should also be explored in Hong Kong
Restaurants in Dubai have set a good example by taking 10 and 20 per cent off the bill for those who show proof of first and second shots, respectively. In Michigan’s Oakland county, the same proof gets you a free, pre-rolled joint at a dispensary in partnership with a cannabis company. Those who take the jab in Israel can go to a bar nearby for a free beer. The perks are not just confined to customers. US grocery retailer Krogers is giving a US$100 bonus to employees who have been inoculated.
Whether such incentives can boost the uptake of vaccines is probably a matter for further study by behavioural scientists. In any case, they may not necessarily work in all societies. As for Hong Kong, there is clearly a case for more motivation. More than four weeks have passed since the roll-out of vaccines began but only some 400,000 people have signed up, about 6 per cent of the eligible population.
Earlier, a seafood restaurant chain said inoculated workers would be exempt from taking unpaid leave, while other firms are giving staff time off or rest days for taking the jab. The recent joint promotional drive by the beauty and massage industries is another positive step.
Vaccination is ultimately an individual choice. Businesses can play a part by offering incentives and convenience to customers and employees to get the shot.