Seven Southern Californians have another reason to celebrate the state's reopening day.
Four Los Angeles County residents, one Riverside County resident, one person living in Santa Barbara County and another in Ventura County were among the 10 winners chosen Tuesday to receive $1.5 million each as the grand prizes in the state's "Vax for the Win'' COVID-19 vaccination incentive program.
None of the winners were publicly identified due to privacy concerns. The state announced only the counties in which the winners reside.
The additional winners are from Marin, Sacramento and Stanislaus counties.
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Tuesday's giveaway -- held in conjunction with the statewide lifting of most COVID-19 restrictions -- came on the heels of two previous drawings in which 30 people were chosen to receive $50,000 each.
Everyone in the state who was at least partially vaccinated was eligible for prizes in the $116.5 million ``Vax for the Win'' incentive program. But winners must complete the two-dose regimen to actually receive the prize money.
The drawing Tuesday was at Universal Studios Hollywood.
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Thhere were roughly 22 million people eligible for the prizes. He said 72% of state residents aged 18 and over had received at least one dose of vaccine.
For the drawings, the pool of eligible residents was randomly narrowed to 200, then winnowed to 50. To pick the winners, 50 numbered balls were dropped into a spinning lottery-style cylinder, from which the winners were chosen.
Tuesday's drawing will not end the vaccine-incentive program. On July 1, the state will hold another prize drawing, offering six California vacation packages.
