Women are accused of altering birth years in vaccination applications and were rejected.
Two women dressed as seniors in an attempt to be vaccinated against COVID-19 were rejected and issued rape notices in Orlando, Florida, officials said.
Dr. Raul Pino, the state health agent in Orange County, where Orlando is located, said the women “dressed up as grandmothers” and dressed up on Wednesday with hoods, gloves and glasses.
Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Michelle Guido told the Orlando Sentinel that women, ages 34 and 44, changed their birth years to vaccination records to avoid the state system, which prioritizes people 65 years or older. It looked like the women had received the first shot, but it was not clear where.
“Their names match their registration, but not their dates of birth,” Guido told the Sentinel.
Department of Health officials asked deputies to issue rape notice of violations.
Guido said the warning means they cannot return to the convention center for any reason, including a vaccine, a COVID-19 test, a convention or a show. If they return, they could be arrested.
Pino said the Department of Health’s investigation will try to determine where they were vaccinated before and how they got an appointment. He said the department “will try to find out if there are any holes, cracks in the process that allow people to do this.”
“This is the hottest product out there right now, so we have to be very careful,” Pino told reporters.
With the limited supply of vaccine available, some are taking extreme steps to get the vaccines. Last month, a Canadian couple was charged after traveling to an indigenous region and falsely posing as local residents to receive the vaccine.
“How dare these two privileged billionaires lie to medical professionals, putting our community at risk, to jump the line?” White River First Nation leader Angela Demit asked in a statement shared on social media.