Want to end the pandemic? Pay people to get vaccinated

When I received my first dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine last December, nobody paid me to roll up my sleeve. Yet, as vaccination efforts approach an expected tipping point, at which the amount of available vaccine exceeds the number of willing recipients, with the rate of vaccination far below the threshold required for herd immunity, paying people to take their shots likely offers our society’s best chance at stemming the pandemic. Private employers — including American Airlines, Marriott and Dollar General, have already taken the lead in this regard — but payouts are generally low: an extra day off or a few hours pay.