Cash Rewards Given To Confirmed Covid-19 Patients Who Voluntarily Declares Symptoms In Qianjiang
Cash rewards can be one of the most effective and straightforward ways to incentivise people to do certain things.
A city in Hubei, China is using this method unconventionally to encourage potential Covid-19 patients to report their symptoms.
Recently, the task force in Qianjiang announced that patients will receive S$1,989 (10,000 yuan) should they step forward voluntarily and test positive for the new coronavirus.
Qianjiang gives cash to contain Covid-19
Qianjiang city, located 150km away from Wuhan, has reported 197 confirmed so cases to date.
With the new measure, officials hope people will be ‘motivated’ to come forward for medical check-ups, which will help ensure that “infected people are confined and treated”.
If tested positive, patients will receive S$1,989 (10,000 yuan).
However, even when tested negative, citizens will be given S$198 (1,000 yuan) for stepping up voluntarily.
Those listed as suspected cases will also get S$397 (2000 yuan).
Other cities also implementing cash rewards
Qianjiang is not the only city pulling all the stops to contain the raging Covid-19.
Though not as enticing, monetary rewards are also given out to people volunteering for medical checks in cities like Hanyang and Huanggang.
Jiangxi and Hebei provinces are also paying those who willingly come forward S$59 (300 yuan) and S$99 (500 yuan) respectively.
This seems to be a new method to ensure citizens exercise social responsibility to visit the doctor when sick.
Hope people will not exploit the cash reward system
While encouraging people to test for the virus using monetary rewards might not be the most ideal or ‘organic’, it serves its purpose well, especially when fighting against such an infectious disease.
After all, desperate times call for desperate measures.
We hope the cash reward system will not be exploited and that patients will ultimately step forward voluntarily for checks without any added incentive.
Featured image adapted from Times of Israel
