2 women in Florida caught ‘dressed up as grandparents’ trying to get COVID vaccine: officials

PATRICK T. FALLON / AFP via Getty Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine

Two undercover women were caught “pretending to be old” in an apparent attempt to qualify for the COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday, according to officials in Florida.

The incident occurred at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, said Dr. Raul Pino, director of the Florida Department of Health in Orange County, in a Press conference On thursday.

The women wore caps, gloves and glasses, according to Pino.

“There was no shortage of weapons ready to be vaccinated. We also have people who pretend to be old to be vaccinated, ”he said. “Yesterday, we noticed that some young women came dressed as grandmothers to be vaccinated a second time.”

Although Pino is not sure how the women received the first dose of the vaccine, he said they carried valid vaccination cards.

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Pino said workers at the vaccination site were alerted when there were “some problems with their identities and driver’s licenses”.

A spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff’s Office told People that the women’s birth dates – identified by authorities as Olga Monroy-Ramirez, 44, and Martha Vivian Monroy, 34 – did not match those they used to register for. the vaccines.

The women’s names correspond to the record, the spokesman said.

Deputies at the scene were asked by Department of Health officials to issue notices of trespassing against women, according to the sheriff’s office. No further law enforcement action was taken.

Getty Orange County Convention Center

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According to the Florida Department of Health website in Orange County, Florida residents age 65 and older qualify for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Pino said during a news conference on Thursday that officials “increased security” around the vaccination site.

“This is the hottest product that exists at the moment,” said Pino of the COVID-19 vaccine. “We have to be very careful with the funds and resources that are provided to us.”

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