Slovakia will start a lottery next week with prizes of up to 2 million euros for people who have been vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The Slovak government approved the plan for the weekly lottery on Friday. Slovaks who persuade compatriots also to get a corona shot can receive individual cash prizes.

Of the 5.5 million inhabitants, 28.7 percent have been vaccinated, putting the country behind the European Union average of 32.9 percent. However, since a peak in May, the number of people with an appointment for the first shot has been decreasing.

To boost vaccination coverage, Slovaks can participate in the lottery after both the first and second corona vaccine.

Residents who managed to convince compatriots to get vaccinated can win 30 euros to 90 euros if the convinced person is fully vaccinated. Naturally, the older the person who is vaccinated, the higher the amount of money.

Slovakia wants to speed up the vaccination program in order to counteract a possible autumn wave of the Delta variant of the virus.