Young New Yorkers have another incentive to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday that the state will raffle off full scholarships to any public college, university or community college in the state for those aged 12-17 who are vaccinated in the next six weeks.
Once a teen has gotten a vaccine, parents will be able to enter them through the state website.
Ten scholarships, Cuomo said, will be awarded by a random drawing each Wednesday.
The announcement comes as the 12-17 age group in New York makes up only 5% of the current share of COVID-19 tests, but 10% of the state's positivity rate. Cuomo says it's the highest differential of any age group in New York.
At 8.7%, the 12-17 group is also the least fully vaccinated group in the state. The group was made eligible for vaccinations in New York earlier this month, following emergency authorization of the Pfizer vaccine from the Food and Drug Administration.
Statewide, 64.2% of those 18 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine, the governor said, with 55.5% fully vaccinated statewide. New York's statewide positivity rate of 0.70% is the state's lowest since Aug. 30, 2020, and hospitalizations, intensive care hospitalizations and intubations statewide are all at their lowest levels since November.
Cuomo also reiterated entertainment venues and stadiums can raise capacity to 100% by only allowing vaccinated fans through the gates. The governor said he hoped by doing so, more New Yorkers would be enticed to get a vaccine.