California selects another 15 winners in vaccine lottery

California has selected another 15 people to win $50,000 each just for getting the coronavirus vaccine

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California selected another 15 people on Friday to win $50,000 each just for getting the coronavirus vaccine amid hopes from state officials that the chance of winning big money will convince skeptics to get inoculated ahead of the state's broad reopening next week. The lottery-style drawing selected winners from the nearly 22 million Californians who have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine. State officials identified the winners by what county they lived in, with plans to contact them in the coming days. Fifteen other people won the prize last week. But state officials could not reach two of them. The two were replaced by alternate winners in Sacramento and Monterey counties, Gov. Gavin Newsom said. In addition to the $50,000 prizes, the state has pledged to give $50 gift cards to 2 million people who get vaccinated.