Miami Heat and concert tickets up for grabs to entice COVID vaccines

MIAMI – Miami-Dade County and the Miami Heat are hoping that free tickets get more people out to receive COVID-19 vaccinations.

The team and county are hosting a vaccination event Thursday at FTX Arena where anyone ages 12 and older can get a shot between the hours of 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Those who do will be entered to win tickets to a Heat game, or to upcoming concerts featuring Bad Bunny, Kane Brown, Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin, The Weeknd, Fonseca and Andres Cepeda, or Maluma.

The Florida Department of Health will be administering both Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Those under 18 must be accompanied by their legal guardian, and participants need to complete COVID-19 vaccine screening and consent forms.

There is no cost for the shots, but you must bring a government-issued photo ID.

Free parking will be available in the P2 Parking Garage.

A second event will take place on Aug. 26 to administer the second Pfizer dose for those who get the first on Thursday.

The effort comes as Miami-Dade County reported 15,541 new COVID-19 infections last week, by far the most in a state that is the worst in the country for transmission and hospitalizations right now.

Miami-Dade does have 78% of its eligible (12+) population vaccinated with at least one shot, according to the latest state data, which is higher than the state average of 61%.

For more info on the Heat vaccination event, click here.