The Delta variant of the virus that's killed over 600 thousand Americans continues to wreak havoc across the country, leading to a fourth wave of the virus that's left ICU beds around the country occupied and prompted a stratospheric uptick in deaths and hospitalizations.
Despite this, vaccination rates continue to lag, in no small part due to a barrage of right-wing disinformation regarding their effectiveness and safety.
Some elected officials in cities like New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans have begun counteracting this by mandating vaccinations for certain businesses like bars, restaurants, and gyms.
While most would opt to take the free vaccine not only to protect themselves against the worst symptoms, but also to enjoy public recreation, others have chosen instead to try and secure fake vaccine cards.
A recent statement from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) revealed that an onslaught of fabricated vaccine passports is proving to be an epidemic all its own.
According to a report from the Washington Post, the patrol seized thousands of proof of vaccination cards emblazoned with the logo of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The cards were shipped from Shenzhen, China with destinations across the country.
CBP's Memphis Area Port Director Michael Neipert said:
"If you do not wish to receive a vaccine, that is your decision. But don't order a counterfeit, waste my officer's time, break the law, and misrepresent yourself. CBP Officers at the Area Port of Memphis remain committed to stopping counterfeit smuggling and helping to protect our communities. But just know that when you order a fake vaxx card, you are using my officers time as they also seize fentanyl and methamphetamines."
People were astounded by the growing prevalence of the phony cards.
The vaccine is freeeeeee. *passes out*https://twitter.com/cwatkinswdsu/status/1426261946773483525\u00a0\u2026— Jason Karsh (@Jason Karsh) 1628993802
Yet another unnecessary product that\u2019s too expensive to produce in the US https://twitter.com/CWatkinsWDSU/status/1426261946773483525\u00a0\u2026— \ud83e\udd43 Steve Wart \ud83e\udd67 (@\ud83e\udd43 Steve Wart \ud83e\udd67) 1629001108
Oh come onnnnnnnhttps://twitter.com/cwatkinswdsu/status/1426261946773483525\u00a0\u2026— Molly Jong-Fast (@Molly Jong-Fast) 1628886507
You can literally get a real one for FREEhttps://twitter.com/CWatkinsWDSU/status/1426261946773483525\u00a0\u2026— taylor\ud83d\udc96 (@taylor\ud83d\udc96) 1628892161
Others offered potential solutions to the growing problem.
We\u2019re going to need a QR code database. What good is a piece of paper if you can\u2019t check it against anything?https://twitter.com/cwatkinswdsu/status/1426261946773483525\u00a0\u2026— Rick \u2605 \u2122 Mandate Intelligence (@Rick \u2605 \u2122 Mandate Intelligence) 1628956779
Great\u2014this should help the spreadnecks and covidiots to further drive up our 800% increase in cases here in Louisiana. What we really need is another 100% lockdown for a few months. It\u2019ll hurt businesses without a financial cushion, but will save lives in the long run.— GaryMSmith (@GaryMSmith) 1629119117
We need a new system with harder to counterfeit cards. The government didn't plan on there being so many horrid people in this country, but clearly it needs to.— Kevin (@Kevin) 1629117611
This virus is going to be with us for a long time and has major financial impacts. Time for better tracking systems to evolve.— Skip the Darwin Award - Get Your Vaccine (@Skip the Darwin Award - Get Your Vaccine) 1629123568
The vaccines are proven to be safe and effective.
@RepClayHiggins/X
