Vaccinate in California, ride a roller coaster

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One day after the raffle of $ 1.5 million each to 10 vaccinated jackpot winners, Governor Gavin Newsom announced a new incentive on Wednesday: Six Flags locations are giving away free tickets to 50,000 Californians aged 12 and over who at certain clinic locations have at least theirs received first dose of vaccine. Six Flags Entertainment Corp. provided tickets are valued at $ 4.5 million.

The new giveaway comes after the state promised to pay 2 million people $ 50 each in gift cards to get vaccinations and give $ 50,000 each to 30 randomly drawn vaccinated people. Incentives granted in the weeks leading up to the full reopening of the economy on Tuesday totaled $ 116.5 million.

During an event at Six Flags Magic Mountain near Los Angeles, Newsom defended the promotions, saying they increased vaccinations at a time when more was needed to get people to overcome reservations or indolence. He also admitted that he enjoyed acting as a game show host on the lottery-style draws, though insisting that he also focus on negotiating a state budget and preparing for a drought-caused forest fire season .

Newsom said he hopes to personally call one of the $ 1.5 million winners on Wednesday if officials can find a way to circumvent various privacy regulations.

“You know what? There’s nothing like feeling like Oprah – a million dollars for you, a million dollars for you, a million for you, 50,000 for you,” Newsom said.

It is also worthwhile to see how some will spend the money, he said, recalling how a 17-year-old winner from a troubled immigrant family can now use the money on college. Then he joined others to ride a roller coaster at the theme park.

A list of the participating vaccination centers can be found at Covid19.ca.gov/Vax-For-The-Win. Tickets are valid until September 6th for Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, Hurricane Harbor Concord and Hurricane Harbor Los Angeles.

Newsom previously said the state will also introduce this week a way for people to prove they have been vaccinated without having to carry their paper vaccination card.

“It’s not a passport, it’s not a requirement,” Newsom said on Monday. “It is only possible now to have an electronic version of this paper version.”

Both Hawaii and New York have variations on a government sponsored program.

Newsom’s office did not provide any further details. Rachel Michelin, president and CEO of the California Retailers Association, said the governor’s staff had told her organization that “they are working on something, but it’s not ready for release yet.”

The state labor inspectorates are ready to pass new rules on Thursday that, among other things, no longer require the wearing of fully vaccinated employees in most cases.

Employers would need to document that workers who do not wear masks indoors are in fact fully vaccinated according to the pending rules of the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board.

However, employers would have the choice: to require workers to provide proof of vaccination or to allow workers to self-certify their vaccination status, with the employer keeping a record of who self-certifies.

It’s hard to say whether the state’s electronic version would be helpful for employers trying to check the vaccine status of customers and employees, said both Michelin and Robert Moutrie, a political supporter for the California Chamber of Commerce.

“The question of how to review and document a person’s vaccination status while respecting their privacy and complying with applicable laws is certainly a difficult area that many employers face in reopening and Cal / OSHA’s new regulation is based on vaccination cards”, said Moutrie.

Even if the state’s electronic version is voluntary, people may be reluctant to download another app or have privacy issues with showing the map, Michelin said. This also extends to whether it would be helpful in the context of the pending state workplace regulations.

Workplace supervisors should “clearly state what an employer should do with documenting vaccine verification records”.

Many companies seem inclined to allow their employees to self-certify that they have been vaccinated, she said, if only to avoid creating a medical record by keeping copies of vaccination cards. And there can be penalties for lying – employees could potentially be fired for dishonesty, Michelin said.

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