BROOKLYN – New Yorkers headed to the Brooklyn Army terminal Thursday evening after a false rumor spread on social media and WhatsApp about an overdose of coronavirus vaccine.
Doses were only available to people with appointments, said mayoral spokesman Bill Neidhardt. The city sent people to the Brooklyn Army terminal to ask for people to leave without an appointment.
“There is NO vaccine available for people without an appointment,” he tweeted. “It was misinformation and the notification didn’t come from the New York governor. We send people to the Brooklyn Army terminal to ask queuers to come home if they don’t have appointments.”
The video showed a long line and many waiting in the cars.
After the spread of more than 400 vaccines left over in Brooklyn (transmitted by WhatsApp messages and screenshots), this is what the * part of the scene now looks like. pic.twitter.com/cndF7r5zzc
– Stephen Lurie (@luriethereal) January 14, 2021
The post on social media said there were more than 410 doses to be administered in the next few hours. Councilman Justin Brannan expressed frustration with the charge.
“You may have seen this false image. As a result, there is now a row of people outside the Brooklyn Army terminal who will not be vaccinated,” he tweeted. “I know we’re all desperate to get vaccinated, but sharing things like this hurts more than good and creates confusion.”