Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine is on display at Rady Children’s Hospital before being put back in the refrigerator in San Diego, California, on December 15, 2020.
Adriana Drehsler | AFP | Getty Images
It is possible that doses of the coronavirus vaccine were obtained and distributed improperly by parts of New York, the state’s top doctor said on Saturday.
Dr. Howard Zucker, commissioner of the state health department, says his office received reports from the ParCare community health network that he “fraudulently obtained” the vaccine and transferred it to “health care facilities.” ‘other parts of the state’.
Zucker said vaccine doses allegedly diverted for “members of the public” circumvent the state’s plan to prioritize inoculation of top-notch health professionals and long-term care center residents. The initial release of the vaccine in New York was still limited to hospitals and residences.
ParCare Community Health Network, identified by the state as a provider in Orange County, offers offices in several neighborhoods in Brooklyn and the Upper East Side.
On December 16, the company offered doses of the “first come, first served” vaccine through a post on social media on Facebook. The publication included a registration form for seniors, high-risk people, and people with underlying conditions.
A week later, ParCare shared photos of the Modern vaccine on Twitter, saying the company had received thousands of doses.
The DOH said it would not comment beyond Zucker’s Saturday statement.
“We take it very seriously and DOH will assist the state police in a criminal investigation into this matter. Anyone who has knowingly participated in this scheme will be held liable to the fullest extent of the law,” Zucker said in a Saturday press release .
A ParCare statement acknowledged the health department’s investigation and assured cooperation while the state investigates.
“During these unprecedented times, we have strived to provide critical medical services and administer COVID-19 vaccines to those qualified to receive them in accordance with the guidelines of the New York State Department of Health, which it includes front-line health and first aid workers, “the statement said. partly.
In late October, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a partnership with ParCare to increase the availability of rapid testing at several Borough Park and Williamsburg locations.