A New Zealand man who took the COVID-19 vaccination up to 10 times in one day on behalf of other people has been called “unbelievably selfish” and has sparked an investigation.
Astrid Koornneef, group manager operations for the COVID-19 vaccine and immunisation program in New Zealand, said the country’s Ministry of Health was aware of the issue and taking the matter very seriously.
“We are very concerned about this situation and are working with the appropriate agencies,” Koornneef said, according to the New Zealand Herald.
The Ministry of Health would not say where these incidents took place.
“To assume another person’s identity and receive a medical treatment is dangerous. This puts at risk the person who receives a vaccination under an assumed identity and the person whose health record will show they have been vaccinated when they have not.” Koornneef said. “Having an inaccurate vaccination status not only puts you at risk, it puts your friends, whānau and community at risk, and the healthcare teams that treat you now in the future.”
According to Stuff, it is believed that the man, who visited several vaccine centres, was paid to assume another’s identity and receive the jab.
Vaccinologist and Associate Professor Helen Petousis-Harris called the behaviour “unbelievably selfish” and taking advantage of someone who needs money.
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It can cause serious harm from people who are not vaccinated and stating they they are, ultimately spreading the virus, she said.
Professor Petousis-Harris said that the man who took multiple COVID-19 vaccinations is unlikely to come to any serious harm, but was likely to feel like crap the next day, due to his general immune response to the vaccine.
“We know that people in error have been given the whole five doses in a vial instead of it being diluted, we know that has happened overseas, and we know with other vaccines error have occured and there has been no long-term problems,” she said.
