Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine is pictured 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
Doses of the coronavirus vaccine may have been falsely obtained and spread across parts of New York, the state’s top doctor said Saturday.
Dr. Howard Zucker, Commissioner for the State Department of Health, says his office has received reports that the ParCare Community Health Network “fraudulently” obtained the vaccine and transferred it to “facilities in other parts of the state.”
The vaccine doses reportedly being diverted to “members of the public” circumvent the state’s plan to prioritize the vaccination of primary care providers and residents of long-term care facilities, Zucker said. The initial rollout of the vaccine in New York was limited to hospitals and nursing homes.
ParCare Community Health Network – identified by the state as a provider in Orange County – serves facilities in a number of Brooklyn and Upper East Side neighborhoods.
On December 16, the company offered doses of the vaccine on a “first-come, first-served” basis via a social media post on Facebook. The post included an application form for the elderly, those at high risk, and those with underlying conditions.
A week later, ParCare shared photos of the Moderna vaccine on Twitter, saying the company had received thousands of doses.
The DOH said it would not comment outside of Zucker’s statement on Saturday.
“We are taking this very seriously and DOH will assist state police in a criminal investigation into this matter. Anyone who knowingly participated in this settlement will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” Zucker said in the press release. Saturday. .
A statement from ParCare acknowledged the Department of Health’s investigation and assured cooperation while the state conducts the investigation.
“During these unprecedented times, we have strived to provide critical health care and administer COVID-19 vaccinations to those qualified to receive them according to New York State Department of Health guidelines, including primary care workers and first responders,” the statement said. partially.
In late October, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a partnership with ParCare to increase the availability of rapid tests at various locations in Borough Park and Williamsburg.