(NEXSTAR) – Gallup recently published surprising results for a new survey.

When asked if they would receive the COVID-19 vaccine if it was free, 1.3 billion people responded that they would not. Only two in three adults said they would receive the vaccine – a percentage of the population too low to achieve overall herd immunity to the virus.

But there is still hope that the number of vaccines will increase globally, and many US states and companies are pushing for vaccination with a series of ploys, ranging from Free Krispy Kremes Nationwide to a million dollar lottery in Ohio.

So what is working to tackle vaccine reluctance nationwide?

Dr Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease expert at the University of California at the San Francisco School of Medicine, said it was a “carrot and stick” combination.

Carrot refers to things like free Krispy Kremes. It is about motivating people to get vaccinated by using a positive incentive.

Some states offer cash or bonds to people who have been vaccinated, such as West Virginia, which offers vaccinated residents a $ 100 savings bond.

The money, Chin-Hong says, has worked in other interventions, such as getting people tested for drugs or sexually transmitted infections.

The other “carrot” gives those vaccinated “side benefits” in society, such as the ability to jump into the mosh pit at a music festival or watch a baseball game without getting tested first. by COVID.

“More freedoms – I think it might encourage people to get it,” Chin-Hong said.

Then there are the sticks, or direct punishments for not getting vaccinated. These include employer and school requirements which state that only those vaccinated can return to work or enroll in classes.

There is also the issue of immunity passports for travel. Some regions may, in the future, require visitors to present proof of vaccination prior to entering.

And of course, there is the biggest stick of all, which is getting sick with COVID-19 or passing it on to loved ones without getting vaccinated.