West Virginia offering residents 35 and younger $100 savings bond to get COVID vaccine

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice is promising residents 35 and younger a $100 savings bond if they get a COVID-19 vaccine.

"We're going to give a $100 savings bond to every single one that steps up and takes their vaccines," Justice said Monday.

Justice said the state would pay for this plan with federal emergency funds provided by the 2020 CARES Act, which gave states about $150 billion, according to CNN.

"Our kids today probably don’t really realize just how important they are in shutting this thing down," Justice said, about the virus. "I'm trying to come up with a way that’s truly going to motivate them – and us – to get over the hump."

Justice plans to get over 70% of the state vaccinated, though as of Monday just 52% of those eligible for vaccination had received at least one shot.

"If we can get to 70%, we’ll shut this virus down," Justice said. "If we do that, the masks go away, the hospitalizations go away, and the deaths become minimal."

The plan also works retroactively, meaning those in the age group who have already received a vaccine will get their $100 bond.