Netherlands offers free pickled herring as Covid jab incentive

Country becomes the latest to encourage uptake by offering a traditional early-summer delicacy

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After Russia offered cars, Washington state spliffs, Indonesia live chickens and Hong Kong the chance of a 1.2m apartment, the latest country to reward people who show up for their Covid shots is the Netherlands - with soused herring.

Early batches of Hollandse nieuwe, or new-season Dutch herring, a traditional delicacy consumed to the tune of 75m a year, are being distributed to vaccination centres around the country as an encouragement for people to get their jabs.