City of St. Louis Implementing Gift Card Incentive for COVID-19 Vaccinations

With COVID-19 impacting every area of the region, the city is encouraging individuals to get vaccinated to protect young adults and schoolchildren.

September 23, 2021 | 2 min reading time

This article is 3 years old. It was published on September 23, 2021.

Today, the City of St. Louis Department of Health announced the full rollout of its gift card incentive program at Department of Health and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) to further encourage COVID-19 vaccinations. Individuals will receive their gift cards on-site once they receive their vaccination. With community spread impacting every area of the region, the city is encouraging individuals to get vaccinated to protect young adults and schoolchildren, especially those under 12 who at this time cannot get vaccinated.

"Offering incentives is one way to encourage individuals to get vaccinated, especially those who are still undecided, and the health department's highest priority is to ensure people have accurate information so they can make informed decisions about their health," says Dr. Fredrick Echols, Acting Director and Health Commissioner for the City of St. Louis. “Vaccination remains the best way to avoid severe complications from COVID-19 and stay out of the hospital. An incentive may be the extra push some need to get vaccinated.”

Initially proposed by Alderwoman Shameem Clark-Hubbard (26), this $1.25 million gift card vaccination incentive program is one portion of the $135 million initial allocation of federal American Rescue Plan dollars passed by the St. Louis Board of Aldermen. This initial allocation includes $11.5 million in public health infrastructure, including mobile vaccine clinics, community canvasses and education, vaccine marketing, and more. 

Upcoming Department of Health COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics: 

  • September 25: 12th and Park Recreation Center, 1410 S. Tucker, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
  • September 26: Salvation Army-Midtown, 2900 Washington Avenue, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Free, No Appointment Required, COVID-19 Testing Sites in the City St. Louis

  • Mondays: IBEW Local #1, 5850 Elizabeth Ave., 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. (Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services sponsored)
  • Tuesdays: Legacy Bar and Cafe, 5261 Delmar Blvd., 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. (Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services sponsored)
  • Tuesdays & Thursdays: Affinia Healthcare, 1717 Biddle Street, 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. (Affinia Healthcare sponsored)

Visit the Department of Health website at stlouis-mo.gov/health or call 314-657-1499 for updates on dates, times and locations free COVID-19 vaccination clinic and testing sites.

For FQHC testing events, contact the FQHC directly. 

  • Affinia Healthcare, (314) 833-2777
  • Betty Jean Kerr People's Health Center, (314) 627-5405
  • CareSTL Health, (314) 367-5820
  • Family Care Health Centers, (314) 678-2460

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