The Staybridge Suites in East Long Beach is one of the hotels that is participating in the city's promotion to get more people vaccinated. Photo by Brandon Richardson

People getting their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine could win a Nintendo Switch or a two-night stay at a Long Beach hotel as the city continues its push to get more people vaccinated after weeks of declining vaccination rates.

The city announced Monday that anyone 12 and older receiving their first dose at a city-run vaccination site would be entered into a daily drawing that could win them either of the prizes. Winners, which will notified through email or by phone, will be able to select which prize they want.

The city did not disclose how many potential winners there could be each day.

“We are going to continue to provide incentives and new ideas to get residents vaccinated,” Mayor Robert Garcia said in a statement. “We continue to vaccinate folks every day and these drawings are another way of reaching different populations.”

The participating hotels are the Hilton, Marriott, Hotel Maya, the Westin, the Renaissance and the Staybridge Suites near Long Beach Airport.

People wanting to get vaccinated don’t need to make an appointment at city-run sites but can make an appointment through the state’s portal if they wish. The Long Beach Convention Center is offering walk-up vaccines Monday through Saturday in addition to other mobile-clinics and locations run by the city at select LBUSD schools.

Last week the city announced it would give away two tickets to the Aquarium of the Pacific to anyone getting their first dose. The city said it gave away about 5,700 free tickets to the aquarium last week.

First doses of COVID-19 vaccines have remained relatively flat since they began to decline in late April, according to the city’s data dashboard.

The city administered 1,448 doses from May 11 through May 14. The city’s aquarium promotion ran from May 11 through May 15 but the city has yet to report how many doses were administered over the weekend.

The city has vaccinated about 61% of residents over the age of 16. The city announced last week that it would start vaccinating residents between 12 and 15 years old.

Here are the city-run sites and their locations.

  • Long Beach Convention Center 300 E. Ocean Blvd.
  • Admiral Kidd Park 2125 Santa Fe Ave. Monday 1 to 5 p.m., Thursday 9 to 11 a.m.
  • McArthur Park 1321 E. Anaheim St. Tuesday 1 to 5 p.m., Friday 9 to 11 a.m.
  • Houghton Park 6301 Myrtle Ave. Wednesday 1 to 5 p.m., Saturday 9 to 11 a.m.
  • Cabrillo High School 2001 Santa Fe Ave. Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

 

Jason Ruiz covers City Hall and politics for the Long Beach Post. Reach him at [email protected] or @JasonRuiz_LB on Twitter.