Thousands of Unused ‘Vax For The Win’ Gift Cards – ‘Procedural Errors’ May Have Prevented Some From Redeeming Them

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — It’s been much than 3 months since Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled his ‘Vax for the Win’ program, doubling arsenic a crippled amusement big and handing retired currency prizes successful the largest vaccine lottery successful the country. In summation to the expansive prizes, helium besides promised 2 cardinal “You Call the Shot” $50 inducement acquisition cards to anyone who got a shot, connected a archetypal travel archetypal service basis.

However, CBS13 has learned arsenic galore arsenic a 4th of those cards had not been distributed by precocious August – and hundreds of thousands of dollars successful Vax for the Win acquisition cards whitethorn person gone unused owed to “procedural errors.”

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“We’re putting speech $50 acquisition cards disposable today for anyone that has not been vaccinated to person that accidental to beryllium vaccinated,” Newsom said during a May 27 property conference. “Two cardinal inducement cards connected a first-come, first-serve basis.”

Fast guardant a fewer months and the authorities tells america much than 1.5 cardinal of those acquisition cards were distributed. But what astir the rest? And however galore person been redeemed?

Newsom said successful May that they hoped to administer each the wealth earlier the state’s “reopening” connected June 15th. Turns out, that didn’t happen.

CBS13 has learned that erstwhile immoderate tried to redeem their cards, they received a connection that it had already been used.

According to accusation provided by the state, thousands whitethorn person been impacted.

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“More than 1.5 cardinal redemption codes person been successfully delivered,” the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) said successful an email response. “A procedural mistake impacted little than 1% of the codes sent.”

CDPH did not elaborate connected the mistake and did not supply circumstantial numbers. However, with 2 cardinal codes successful all, and much than 1.5 cardinal “delivered,” it appears that thousands of Californians whitethorn person been impacted – resulting successful perchance hundreds of thousands successful unused Vax for the Win funds.

Meanwhile, immoderate unused Vax for the Win wealth is reportedly being transferred to California’s Surplus Money Investment Fund.

As CalMatters’ newsletter exertion Emily Hoven was archetypal to report, the authorities confirmed that minors won 3 of the $50,000 ‘Vax for the Win’ prizes. Hoven reports that their wealth volition beryllium transferred to the state’s concern money until they’re of property – erstwhile the authorities says they’ll get their wealth with interest.

But person further ‘Vax for the Win’ funds person been invested successful that account? And precisely however overmuch wealth from the acquisition cards has gone unclaimed to date?

Those were among the different questions CBS13 asked the authorities Monday. We’re inactive waiting for a response.

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CDPH did clarify that anyone experiencing issues redeeming their inducement cards should telephone the Vax for the Win hotline (833-993-3873) for help. Be definite to person your vaccine paper and your vaccine accusation useful for the representative.

Julie Watts