US state of West Virginia offering guns in vaccine give-away

West Virginia announced on Tuesday it will be giving away customized firearms in a bid to attract more state residents to take a COVID-19 vaccination.

The landlocked mountainous state has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the US with just 40.6% of residents having received at least one dose despite widespread availability, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data.

In addition to five custom hunting rifles and five custom hunting shotguns, the state is also giving away $1 million, and two custom trucks. Two four-year college scholarships to any higher education institution in the state are also being offered to individuals aged 12 to 25.

All individuals who have received at least one jab in the state are eligible, but they must register on a yet-to-be-created website.

The first drawing will take place on June 20, Father's Day, and will run each week until Aug. 4.

Gov. Jim Justice said the prizes are likely to create a "run" on people seeking to get their first shot, urging people to get a shot as quickly as possible in order to be eligible for the giveaways.