Governor Tim Walz hopes giveaways that include Minnesota State Fair tickets, fishing licenses, and State Park passes will help pick up the pace of coronavirus vaccinations in Minnesota, which has slowed.

The Governor announced Thursday that 100,000 people who are vaccinated between Memorial Day Weekend and the end of June will be eligible to choose between nine vaccine reward options. Those incentives are:

• a $25 Visa card
• Minnesota State Fair tickets
• single-day admission to Valleyfair
• a Minnesota fishing license
• a Minnesota State Parks annual pass
• one adult admission to the Minnesota Zoo
• a pass for the Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth
• a 30-point ride pass at Nickelodeon Universe at Mall of America
• Northwoods Baseball League Tickets

Walz called the incentive program a “wonderful opportunity” to vaccinate more Minnesota residents while virus case numbers remain low and more people head outdoors this summer.

Walz said the state’s vaccination efforts helped blunt a surge in case growth while minimizing hospitalizations and deaths due to the virus. Vaccinations in Minnesota continue to climb, but at a much slower pace than in the early months of the state’s vaccine campaign.

More than 2.5 million Minnesota residents 16 and older have been fully inoculated. The goal is for 70% of Minnesota residents age 16 and older to have received at least one dose by July 1. Right now, Minnesota is at about 64%.

By — Lakeland News