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Serbia’s Cash Incentives Encourage Vaccinations

Serbia’s cash incentivesIn May 2021, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced a new incentive for Serbians to get their COVID-19 inoculations: cash payments. Each fully vaccinated person would receive 3,000 Serbian dinars, equivalent to about $30 in the United States. The policy, aimed at incentivizing Serbs to get vaccinated, may also play a major role in reducing poverty in Serbia. Serbia’s cash incentives to encourage vaccinations have inspired other countries to follow suit with similar strategies.

Poverty in Serbia

Serbia is one of Europe’s most impoverished countries. In 2017, the poverty rate stood at 19.30%. In 2020, the unemployment rate was around 9%, a drastic decline from its peak of 24% in 2012. Poverty rates are particularly high in the rural and southern regions of the country. In an environment of widespread poverty, $30 is a significant incentive that “equates to around 5% of the country’s average monthly salary.”

How Cash Incentives Can Reduce Poverty

Serbia’s cash incentives could be an effective way of reducing poverty. A 2019 study in Kenya showed that cash transfers to impoverished families had a significant impact not only on the recipients but on the entire local community. The study found that each dollar of aid increased economic activity in the region by $2.60. President Aleksandar Vučić’s cash incentives might provide a similar economic boost in Serbia’s cash-poor economy.

Cash Payments Boost Vaccination Rates

The advantages of Serbia’s cash incentives are far-reaching. By providing a strong monetary incentive, the Serbian government increased the number of people who chose to get vaccinated. The public health benefits of a vaccinated country are obvious, but a vaccinated county will also boost Serbia’s economy. Economists universally agree that vaccination programs will add billions of dollars to the global economy within the next few years.

The World Economic Forum states that by ending the pandemic, “10 major economies could be $466 billion better off by 2025.” With vaccinations, workers will be able to resume their everyday jobs, businesses can reopen and the economy can flourish. Greater wages will mean greater prosperity for everyone. Due to these economic benefits, Serbia’s vaccination program will likely pay for itself many times over.

Cash Payment Successes

Serbia’s cash incentive strategy may already be paying off. As of August 4, 2021, almost 40% of Serbia’s population is fully vaccinated, significantly more than the majority of Serbia’s Balkan neighbors. Neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina has only a 7% vaccination rate, and Bulgaria, only 15%. Perhaps these countries, both of which have their own poverty problems, would benefit from Serbia’s vaccination strategy.

Serbia is not the only country to offer rewards for COVID-19 inoculations. In neighboring Romania, Bran Castle offered visitors free admission if they came to receive their shots. Additionally, the U.S. state of West Virginia offered $100 awards to anyone getting a vaccine. Vaccination will allow an individual entry into lotteries where participants will have the chance to win cars, scholarships and even a million-dollar grand prize.

Serbia’s program, however, is one of the first and most ambitious programs to encourage COVID-19 vaccinations. With a cash incentive strategy, Serbia demonstrates how a single action can provide several benefits, reducing poverty at the same time.

– Thomas Brodey
Photo: Flickr

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COVID-19 Vaccinations in Serbia

COVID-19 Vaccinations in SerbiaSerbia, a country located in Europe, has seen success when it comes to COVID-19 vaccine statistics, approvals and productions. The Serbian government is providing incentives to encourage citizens to get vaccinated with the aim of increasing vaccination rates. The rate of COVID-19 vaccinations in Serbia indicates a positive upturn in Serbia’s fight against the virus.

Vaccine Statistics in Serbia

Serbia’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign has been successful so far as more than 38% of Serbians are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of July 5, 2021. So far, the government has administered more than five million doses of COVID-19 vaccinations in Serbia. According to the latest COVID-19 statistics from Reuters, Serbia is experiencing roughly 114 new daily infections, equating to 11 positive COVID-19 tests per 100,000 people tested. During the last officially reported week, Serbia reached a daily average of more than 10,000 administered COVID-19 vaccinations.

Pfizer Vaccine Approval for Children

Serbia’s medical agency now allows children between the ages of 12 and 15 to receive the Pfizer vaccine. The Medicines and Medical Devices Agency of Serbia approved this after carefully considering the research of many clinical trials conducted in other nations. Serbian government health official, Mirsad Djerlek, says children with underlying health conditions are a priority as they are more vulnerable to contracting COVID-19.

Vaccine Incentives

Serbia’s initial intention was to have half of the population vaccinated by the end of June 2021. Data indicates that Serbia did not reach this goal, but nevertheless, Serbia is still reaching a significant number of people with its vaccination campaign.

To encourage citizens to get vaccinated, President Aleksandar Vucic promised that citizens who got vaccinated before the end of May 2021 would receive a cash incentive of $30. Vucic’s expectation was to have three million people vaccinated by the end of May 2021. Serbia has made vaccination sites more accessible with locations in shopping malls. To further boost vaccination rates, Serbia announced that it would also be offering vouchers to those who get vaccinated.

Partnering with Russia

Serbia has partnered with Russia to ramp up Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine manufacturing. In June 2021, Serbia’s Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera “Torlak” in Belgrade began production. President Vucic and Russian President Vladimir Putin came to this agreement while acknowledging the importance of collaborative efforts in fighting the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Vaccine Successes

When it comes to COVID-19 vaccinations in Serbia, the country has seen success so far. Serbia is getting close to vaccinating half of its population. More categories of the population are now eligible for the Pfizer vaccine and Serbians are receiving incentives to encourage vaccinations. Serbia is also giving a helping hand to other countries by providing vaccine donations to several countries. In May 2021, Serbia donated 100,000 vaccines to the Czech Republic, among other donations. As a production site for Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, Serbia is certainly playing a significant role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

– Chloe Moody
Photo: Flickr