After getting their COVID-19 vaccine shots earlier this spring, two lucky Massachusetts residents received some life-changing money this week.

Gov. Charlie Baker announced the first two winners in the state’s VaxMillions Giveaway for fully vaccinated residents during a press conference Thursday:

Darrell Washington, a 63-year-old Blue Cross Blue Shield case manager from Weymouth, won the first $1 million cash prize, and Daniela Maldonado, a 15-year-old Chelsea resident, won the giveaway’s first $300,000 scholarship grant.

Baker announced the lottery-style sweepstakes for fully vaccinated residents in June as an incentive for more residents to get their shots.

However, Washington and Maldonado didn’t need any additional persuading; both got the vaccine earlier this past spring shortly before they became eligible.

Washington said it was important for him to get vaccinated because he has family members with health conditions that could make them more vulnerable to the virus.

“I just couldn’t imagine me being a host for the virus and then getting them sick and critically ill, and possibly passing away,” he said. “I just couldn’t do that.”

Alluding to much of the vaccine misinformation that has made some skeptical about getting their shots, Washington urged other to “turn off” the people on TV.

“Just really ask yourself, ‘Is your child, is your spouse, is your grandparents — are they worth you getting a vaccination?” he said. “I mean that risk seems to be very, very easy for me to resolve. I think you will, too. If you care about them, you will probably do that.”

Maldonado, a rising sophomore at Chelsea High School, said she initially couldn’t believe it her mom told her she won the scholarship grant.

“I thought it was a scam,” she said, laughing

But as a low-income family in a city that has been among the hardest hit — both by the virus and the economic impacts of the pandemic — in Massachusetts, she added that she was “really happy” to get the opportunity to go on to college.

Even as just a sophomore, Maldonado said she’s prospectively looking at Boston University and the University of Massachusetts.

“We are a low income family, so it was going to be hard for me to go continue my education,” said Maldonado, who noted that she’s interested in world history and math.

The event Thursday was the first of five weekly announcements, which will award five $1 million cash prizes to fully vaccinated residents who are at least 18 years old and five $300,000 scholarship grants the those who are 12 to 17 years old.

Thursday is also the final day that vaccinated residents can register to be eligible for all four of the remaining VaxMillions drawings.

The second round of winners will be picked and announced next week.