In the June 6 issue, one of our featured sources was a page from the federal government’s vaccine.gov site, providing an extensive list of rewards for Americans who got their shots—ranging from free Krispy Kreme donuts to a United Airlines sweepstakes.
Now, however, that same page only offers a small list of support options for Americans who may need assistance in making their appointments. These include childcare support and free rides from Uber and Lyft; still valuable information, but a huge change from the previous page.
What happened to the big list? A new note at the bottom of the page offers a clue: “This list is for informational purposes only and should not be inferred as an endorsement by CDC/HHS of the products, services or companies listed.”
It seems the federal government can’t appear to endorse free donuts. Alternatively, maybe a lot of deals expired when the U.S. failed to meet Biden’s July 4 goal… or when evidence began suggesting that maybe these incentives aren’t really inspiring too many vaccinations.
I’ve reached out to the CDC asking for a comment on this change, and will provide an update if I hear back.