Meanwhile in the United Arab Emirates, a range of perks from restaurant deals to free cups of java are up for grabs for vaccinated residents thanks to initiatives by private businesses, the Khaleej Times newspaper has reported. Uber users can also enjoy discounts on rides to and from vaccination centers.
The Gulf nation has kept the momentum going for its vaccination drive, having administered more than five million doses so far at a rate of 51.43 doses per 100 people, according to Feb. 15 statistics from the website Our World in Data.
Much attention is being paid to vaccine incentives by employers to their staff in the United States amid worries that they could be legally problematic.
Companies like McDonald’s, Starbucks, Target and Trader Joe’s are encouraging their workers to get vaccinated, stopping short of mandating it but sweetening the deal with one-time bonuses, extra pay and free cab rides. But question marks have been raised over how far these enticements could go before starting to feel coercive and whether they infringe on the right to medical privacy.
With a global vaccination race underway, hesitation, skepticism and downright apathy persist, especially amid dubious information about the coronavirus and concerns about the rapid development and approval of available vaccines.
Health experts have come out to ally fears and a string of public figures, from Singaporean Minister Prime Lee Hsien Loong to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, have rolled up their shirtsleeves before cameras in an attempt to increase public confidence in the safety of the jabs.
And when all else fails, sweets seem to do the trick.
“I came today to get vaccinated and I tell everyone to come and get the shot so that we can keep our health better,” Iman Dasui, a 60-year-old teacher told Reuters at a Tel Aviv vaccination station on Tuesday.
“There is also knafeh here… very tasty,” she said in reference to the Middle Eastern dessert made with shredded filo pastry.