Can bribing over 50’s help Australia reach herd immunity faster?

Melbourne Institute Working Paper No. 11/21

Date: August 2021

Author(s):

John de New
Kushneel Prakash

Abstract

Australia’s COVID-19 vaccination rollout has been slow and contentious, with Australia recently ranked last out of all the OECD countries in terms of vaccination rates. Would offering cash incentives to get vaccinated be a solution to speeding-up the vaccination rollout and help us achieve herd immunity? In this Research Insight, Professor John P. de New and Dr Kushneel Prakash investigate the extent to which offering cash incentives might speed-up the rollout of the vaccine to attain herd immunity. The study uses data collected during 31 May-18 June 2021 from the Taking the Pulse of the Nation survey, conducted by the Melbourne Institute.

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