HEPPNER — Five vaccinated Morrow County residents have the opportunity to win up to $20,000 through a lottery intended to improve the county’s vaccine rates.

The county has set aside $70,000 in state funding for a drawing between June 28 and July 6, according to Morrow County Commissioner Melissa Lindsay. Two vaccinated residents will be awarded $20,000 in the lottery, and three others will receive $10,000.

“Some of our citizens are not wanting to get the vaccine, and that’s their choice,” Lindsay said. “Seeing the nation and the state come out with the lottery to award those that do want to step up and get the vaccine seemed like a way to use those dollars without overstepping the choice.”

Morrow County residents who have received at least their first dose of the vaccine as of Saturday, June 26, are automatically entered into the lottery, Lindsay said. The funding comes out of the more than $164,000 the county received in May from the state’s $25 million effort to improve vaccination rates through programs like incentives.

The county will be using the rest of that funding to recruit a nurse to run programs and tackle equity issues in public health, such as reaching the county’s Hispanic and Latino community with COVID-19 testing and vaccinations. The county also will use the funding for marketing COVID-19 vaccines through Spanish radio programs.

The county’s lottery comes in addition to the $10,000 the state will award to a vaccinated resident in each of Oregon’s 36 counties. One lucky Oregonian will receive $1 million in the lottery. The drawing will occur June 28, with the winners announced in July.

Vaccine incentives are happening statewide in response to Oregon’s dwindling vaccination rate. In Morrow County, only 4,235 residents have been vaccinated against COVID-19, the fourth-lowest rate among Oregon counties, according to state data.

Lindsay said the lottery was specifically intended to improve the county’s vaccine rate, and to protect the community as the virus mutates into new variants.

“The vaccine is our best way out if variants keep coming forward,” she said. “The best way to protect ourselves and protect out families is the vaccine. And if having a pool of money come back to our economy helps people get over the fence, that’s great.”

County residents still can get vaccinated through the Morrow County Health Department, Morrow County Health District, Columbia River Health and Murray’s Drug. Residents who have been vaccinated at a state or federal facility are encouraged to contact any public health office in Oregon to make sure they are registered.