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This page offers all of Delaware Public Media's ongoing coverage of the COVID-19 outbreak and how it is affecting the First State. Check here regularly for the latest new and information.

University of Delaware graduate gets big money prize in DE Wins lottery

Sophia Schmidt, Delaware Public Media
Sophie Poindexter, right, accepts a ceremonial check from Gov. John Carney after winning the DE Wins! drawing for vaccinated Delawareans

A recent University of Delaware graduate is a big winner in the state’s COVID vaccine incentive lottery.

Sophie Poindexter is a 23-year-old UD Visual Communications grad, and she is now $302,000 richer thanks to the DE Wins! vaccine incentive program.

The main reason for the program was to incentivize the vaccine for residents who might have been hesitant to get it, and Poindexter falls in that 18-34 age range where the vaccination numbers have been lacking.

But Poindexter didn’t need incentive for the vaccine.

"So, I didn't even know about the raffle or anything. I just thought it's very important to get vaccinated. I lived at home and my parents are at risk, and a lot of my friends' parents are at risk,” said Poindexter. “So I just thought it's important for younger people to do it as well because they feel as though they're not at risk, like they don't need to get vaccinated, but I think it's important just for ourselves and everyone else around us especially in a smaller state."

The Newark resident adds this money is a nice head start on her future.

"I just recently graduated from the University of Delaware in May,” said Poindexter. “Getting this money is just a big sigh of relief because it helps me start the next chapter of my life and just travel again and to start living again.”

The state is not planning to keep the incentive program to get more people vaccinated, even though officials say it did help Delaware improve its vaccination numbers in the last month.

Just over 48% of the state’s total population is fully vaccinated, according to the Division of Public Health. 

 

Joe brings over 20 years of experience in news and radio to Delaware Public Media and the All Things Considered host position. He joined DPM in November 2019 as a reporter and fill-in ATC host after six years as a reporter and anchor at commercial radio stations in New Castle and Sussex Counties.
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