Young Florida women dressed as grandparents to get the coronavirus vaccine – and it may have worked

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – With caps on their heads and faces with glasses, two young women pretended to be elderly to get the coronavirus vaccine, and it seems that their awakening may have worked at least once.

Dr. Raul Pino, of the Florida Department of Health in Orange County, said the pair were arrested when they tried to get their second chance on Wednesday at the Orange County Convention Center.

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“There was no lack of arms for vaccination. We also have people pretending to be old to be vaccinated. So, yesterday, we noticed that some young women came dressed as grandmothers to be vaccinated the second time, so I don’t know how they escaped the first time, but they came (to be) vaccinated. The caps, the gloves, the glasses – everything and they were probably in their 20s, ”said Pino.

He is not sure how or even if the two girls got their first doses, but when they showed up on Wednesday to complete the series, they presented a valid vaccination card.

“There were some problems with their identities and driver’s licenses, but I don’t know all the details about them,” said Pino.

He added that vaccinators realized that they “looked funny” and stopped them before they could get the vaccines.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office was called after they were caught to process a report on the situation and issue break-in notices to the two women. The deputies said their real names were on vaccination cards, but the date of birth did not match. One woman was 34 and the other 44.

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There will also be an investigation to determine whether they actually received the first shot.

“So, part of the discoveries that we have to make is if they were really vaccinated by us, when (they were) vaccinated, what happened, on what date, at what time to try to find out if there is any gap, gap, in the process allowing people to do that, ”said Pino.

If women had entered their correct birth dates when registering for an appointment, they would be blocked by the system as they are not old enough, but Pino said they could have used false information or obtained help from someone who works on the spot.

“People are very, very apprehensive about receiving the vaccine, ‘I want it now.’ And some people are really touched. So I can also see that someone said, ‘OK, we don’t have that many people, yes, go there.’ So anything could have happened, ”said Pino.

Although he knows that there is a lot of anxiety while residents wonder when they will be vaccinated, he asked for patience with the process, as those most vulnerable to COVID-19 get vaccines first.

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“It’s kind of hilarious, but also disappointing because they are taking the place that someone else could, in a much greater need, have had,” he said.

Pino noted that security has recently been increased at the site, where about 2,500 shots a day are administered to people aged 65 and over, as well as health professionals.

“We have seen an increase in strange things happening and people walking around suspiciously, people monitoring the place. That is why we request additional security provided and install cameras and other security features in the vaccine room, ”said Pino.

Nurses were also approached when they left the shift at 10 pm by strangers asking if they had extra injections available.

And Wednesday’s incident is not the first time an ineligible resident has tried to cheat and get one of the coveted shots.

“So there were a few. They are all different and creative. There was another individual who had the same name as the father, came with a card but a different birthday. But, you know, we have access to a lot of information. So, we can quickly verify who is who, where they were born, you know, anything you can imagine, we have access ”, said Pino.

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Still, he knows that the two girls are not the only ones who escape through the cracks.

“I think it is taller than we suspect, to be honest with you. As we are involved in this process and trying to move people quickly, some people can squeeze themselves out, so it is probably taller than we suspect, ”said Pino.

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