Topline
Residents of Austin will be eligible to receive a one-day free pass to Austin City Limits Music Fest if they sign up for their coronavirus vaccination. Officials are intensifying their efforts to prevent new infections and hospitalizations in Texas.
Austin City Limits Music Festival offers free tickets in return for vaccinations. Corbis via Getty Images
The Key Facts
ACL announced Wednesday that festival organizers had set aside day passes for Friday's first weekend. These will be distributed to the first 1,000 people who register to receive a coronavirus vaccination Friday at Q2 Stadium. This is the home of Austin FC, the new soccer club. One-day tickets for the festival's first weekend are available for $125 to $550 depending upon the ticket tier. However, the wristbands have been sold out on ACL's website. The free passes will allow the winners to see Miley Cyrus and Megan Thee Stallion live. ACL announced last week that all festival attendees would need to show proof of vaccination or a negative test for coronavirus in order to gain entry to the festival grounds at Austin's Zilker Park.
Tangent
Officials offer a variety of incentives to encourage people to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. After Harris County offered $100 to the first coronavirus vaccine dose, Houston saw a surge in vaccine demand. Lina Hidalgo, County Judge, stated that the area's vaccine rate increased sixfold within days. This was one of the most successful vaccine incentive drives to date. In exchange for a jab, other prizes were offered to unvaccinated Americans: Super Bowl tickets, university tuition credit, and free Shake Shack meals.
Important Background
Texas is seeing an increase in coronavirus hospitalizations and new cases. Hospitals across Texas have been reporting an increase in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations since the beginning of the month. Hospitals in North Texas are considering using their vaccination status to prioritize patients who need care.
