Bryan announced $100,000 weekly vaccine lottery and sent 8% repayment bill to Legislature

Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. said on June 7, 2021, that the Virgin Islands government would begin a $100,000 weekly lottery on July 6 for 10 consecutive weeks for residents who were fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Bryan said residents already vaccinated would be entered automatically and that the only requirement for entry was proof of residency.

At the same Government House briefing, Bryan said he had approved $1.5 million each for the St. Croix Foundation and the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands for literacy and numeracy programs for students during the summer and into the school year. He said the funding would be open to organizations offering tutoring and other academic enrichment services, with application guidelines to be issued later.

Bryan also said he sent proposed legislation to the 34th Legislature on June 7, 2021, to supplement the fiscal 2022 and 2023 executive budget proposals and allow the use of fiscal 2021 excise tax collections to repay $38 million owed to public-sector employees under the VIESA Act salary reduction.

Government House also reported that 41,673 first vaccine doses had been administered and 35,486 people were fully vaccinated.

As of June 5, 2021, the territory had a 3.76% positivity rate and 126 active COVID-19 cases, including eight on St. Croix, 111 on St. Thomas and seven on St. John. Government House said 118,738 people had been tested, 3,591 tests had returned positive, 3,437 people had recovered and 28 people had died. No COVID-19 patients were hospitalized at Juan F. Luis Medical Center, and five were hospitalized at Schneider Regional Medical Center, including one on a ventilator.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/governor-bryan-announces-covid-19-vaccine-lottery-for-v-i-residents-2/