A health care provider in New York is being investigated after being accused of obtaining COVID-19 vaccines ‘fraudulently’ and distributing them to the public.
In a statement released on Saturday, the state Department of Health revealed that it had received reports that the Orange County-based Parcare Community Health Network broke with New York’s plan to administer the vaccine to frontline health workers and nursing home residents and employees first.
The statement said the network “may have fraudulently obtained the COVID-19 vaccine, transferred it to facilities in other parts of the state in violation of state guidelines and diverted it to members of the public.”
Parcare posted images on the social networks of its centers receiving hundreds of doses of Moderna vaccine and claimed that they received authorization from the state, despite not being officially listed.
State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker, in the photo, revealed on Saturday that the Orange County-based Parcare Community Health Network is being investigated for allegedly acquiring up to 2,800 doses of the Modern vaccine through fraudulent means
This would be the first case of vaccine fraud in New York since the rollout began on December 15. In the photo, a nurse prepares a modern COVID-19 vaccine for a NYFD employee
On December 21, Parcare posted an image of its Modern vaccine shipment
“We take this very seriously and DOH will be assisting the State Police in a criminal investigation into this matter,” said State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Howard Zucker.
“Anyone found to have consciously participated in this scheme will be held accountable to the full extent of the law,” he added.
The Parcare chain, which has locations in Brooklyn, Orange County and Manhattan, is not among the facilities listed as a state-designated vaccination center.
Still, on a Facebook page linked to one of their Brooklyn locations, they posted on December 16 to say that they had been “allowed to distribute #CovidVaccine to people who met certain criteria”.
They asked patients to register for a vaccine if they were considered to be at high risk or had underlying health problems.
On December 21, they published another update stating that they had just received thousands of doses of the vaccine at their centers.
‘A small injection can make a difference for the whole community! our @ParCare Centers received thousands of # COVID19 #Modern # vaccines this morning, ‘they wrote.
‘Thanks to @UPS and our dedicated team who woke up early to receive this #healthcareheroes lifeline.’
BoroPark24 reported that the network’s Borough Park site had received 600 Modern vaccines that morning, while the rest of its 2,800 doses were sent to its other four sites.
Parcare posted on December 16 to say it had been “authorized to distribute #CovidVaccine to people who meet certain criteria”, but are not officially listed
Parcare shared this image on Facebook from his Modern vaccine shipment
“Hundreds of patients have already been vaccinated today, and people are still arriving,” Gary Schlesinger, CEO and President of ParCare, told the publication, adding that they hoped to vaccinate 500 people that first day.
“You have to be on that list,” said Schlesinger. ‘Once you are on the list, we have to check to make sure that you are a health professional, over 60 or have underlying diseases.
‘We will not give the vaccine to people who are not eligible for this first batch of vaccines.’
He also claimed that the center would continue to receive more doses of the vaccine, despite not being a designated distributor.
“Hopefully in another week or two, we will have enough to give more people, but now it is what it is,” he said, claiming to the publication that they were able to get the doses because they are larger in square footage than other clinics. .
According to its website, the provider is’ a multi-specialty center that provides services such as primary care, internal medicine, dermatology, physiotherapy and pediatrics; helping our patients maintain optimal health and prevent potential illnesses. ‘
This would be the first case of fraud in relation to the vaccine’s launch in New York since the distribution began on December 15.
It is not clear what penalties Parcare can face if it is found guilty of fraud.
Moderna was contacted for comment, but had not yet responded.
View of the Parcare Health & Medical Center at Monroe in Orange County. The chain also has locations in Brooklyn and Manhattan that received doses of the vaccine
On Wednesday, the last time an update was given, 89,000 New Yorkers have already received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
According to a statement, 22,000 doses were administered at 90 facilities in nursing homes.
On Saturday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the state was ‘vaccinating New Yorkers as soon as possible’.
“But getting to the levels of immunity we need is a long-term effort,” he added.
“New Yorkers have brought the state’s infection rate from the highest in the country to one of the lowest, and they should be commended for that. Now we need to keep up the good work.
“In the end, we will be victorious in the battle with COVID-19, but New Yorkers have a long journey ahead of them,” said Cuomo.
‘The holiday season is a time to celebrate and reflect, but it has the potential for further dissemination if we let our guard down. It is vital that New Yorkers celebrate intelligently, wash their hands, wear masks and distance themselves socially this holiday season. ‘
On Thursday, New York Senator Chuck Schumer said that upsate New York, separated from funds given to New York City, will receive about $ 800 million to help ensure that the coronavirus vaccine and other efforts to treatment for coronavirus are available.
“The biggest thing we want to guarantee about the coronavirus vaccine is universal access – without barriers – for New Yorkers,” said Schumer.
‘In part, we do this, and to ensure that a free vaccine is available here in New York, it focuses on the federal funds we just obtained from the belatedly voted COVID relief bill [Tuesday] night.
‘Communities across the interior of the state will receive a considerable share of more than $ 775 million to do these things, and I am here to say that the money is on its way and to disclose what will happen next to the towns as they go. increase distribution. ‘
There were 10,806 new cases of COVID-19 reported in New York on Saturday, as the state’s positivity rate remained at 5.36 percent.
There were 122 new fatalities, bringing the death toll to 29,396.
On Saturday, there were 6,884 people in New York hospitalized with COVID-19, of whom 1,129 were in the ICU.
Across the country, 18.8 million Americans were infected with coronavirus and there were 331,116 deaths.