Even with the increasing spread of the new Omicron COVID variant, there remain countless people all over the world who refuse to get a COVID-19 vaccination.
But with more and more employers and cities adopting policies which require proof of vaccination, people are going to almost desperate lengths to obtain fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination cards.
A case in New Zealand involves a man reportedly receiving as many as 10 vaccinations in one day, after being paid by others who refuse to get vaccinated.
As reported by the New Zealand news outlet Stuff, the unnamed man reportedly visited multiple vaccination centers and assuming the identities of those who paid him.
While not disclosing the names or places surrounding the incident, New Zealand's Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 vaccine and immunization program group manager Astrid Koornneef told Stuff she was "aware of the issue".
"We are taking this matter very seriously."
"We are very concerned about this situation and are working with the appropriate agencies."
"If you know of someone who has had more vaccine doses than recommended they should seek clinical advice as soon as practicable."
With people having flu-like symptoms after a single dose, it left many wondering just how this unnamed man would react to receiving multiple, let alone ten, doses of the vaccine in a single day.
Nikki Turner, a professor at Auckland university, says there is no concrete data on the effects of so many doses but, doing so was extremely ill-advised.
"The Comirnaty vaccine, the one we’re using, is designed based on early clinical data that works out what’s the right amount to give a good immune response and to give a good safety profile, and we do know that a high dose vaccine creates more side effects."
"So this is definitely not recommended … we have no evidence as to what side effects somebody would have with this amount of vaccine."
“This is not a safe thing to do, this is putting that person at risk.”
Helen Petousis-Harris, a vaccinologist and associate professor expressed her disdain for those who paid the unnamed man to The New Zealand Herald, calling their behavior "unbelievably selfish" and taking advantage of those in need of money.
"It could cause serious harm from the people who are not vaccinated, saying they are, and spreading the virus."Petousis-Harris added the man at the receiving end of the ten vaccines would likely feel "like crap" the following day, but was unlikely to come to any serious harm.
"We know that people have in error been given the whole five doses in a vial instead of it being diluted, we know that has happened overseas, and we know with other vaccines errors have occurred and there has been no long-term problems."
The bizarre and outrageous incident was also met with a wide array of amusement, confusion and anger on Twitter.
Man in New Zealand caught getting 10 vaccines in a single day. Supposedly he was paid by several people to take the shot for them— DarkPrinceFrost (@DarkPrinceFrost) 1639495782
Need a part time job? New Zealand man got 10 vaccine doses in one day impersonating people who allegedly paid him to take the shots for them.https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/new-zealand-man-10-vaccine-doses-one-day\u00a0\u2026— Debby Witt, AKA Grandma Bear (@Debby Witt, AKA Grandma Bear) 1639427830
Model citizen right there, give him a medal. Everyone should aspire to comrade ten shot\u2019s patriotism and bodily sacrifice.— doogs (@doogs) 1639483487
He will be the 1st zombie— LindaKay (@LindaKay) 1639440479
This\u2019s very hilarious news, there\u2019s a man in New Zealand who\u2019s given 10 shots of Vaccine in just a day but still hasn't died, maybe he injects it for others to get them to pay for it , the news didn\u2019t tell whether he\u2019s any health problem after getting 10 shots in the same day— Hoa Nguyen (@Hoa Nguyen) 1639284351
The most boostered man in the world - New Zealand Man Reportedly Got 10 Covid Vaccines In One Dayhttps://www.mediaite.com/online/new-zealand-man-reportedly-paid-to-get-up-to-10-covid-vaccines-in-one-day/\u00a0\u2026— Sander Wagner (@Sander Wagner) 1639477955
Others failed to find anything funny in the situation, with many expressing their anger the scheme wasn't caught by those administering the vaccines.
New Zealand Man Vaccinated Up To 10 Times In The Same Day \n#VaccineJunkie How can one get so many vaccines for others without proper identification? #Vaccineshttps://www.huffpost.com/entry/new-zealand-man-vaccine-10-times_n_61b68829e4b089ee1c3603e0\u00a0\u2026— Dar (@Dar) 1639419149
\u2018Unbelievably selfish\u2019: Man takes 10 Covid vaccine shots in single day\n\nNew Zealand authorities are investigating a man who was vaccinated against Covid-19 up to 10 times in a single day.https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/unbelievably-selfish-man-takes-10-covid-vaccine-shots-in-single-day/news-story/f2a4553dc41c9efe7949418dfe43deda\u00a0\u2026— Roberto (@Roberto) 1639435661
You can bet this is happening more than once.https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/health/man-received-10-covid-vaccines-one-day-says-new-zealand-health-ministry?utm_source=daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter\u00a0\u2026— Carol Anne Farrell (@Carol Anne Farrell) 1639485684
The anti vaxx loonies will be watching this guy like a hawk wondering why he hasn't got an "injury" after 10 jabs.— Jamo (@Jamo) 1639384500
Heard about that earlier and can't decide if it's worse he did it or that others paid him to do it. Head melted thinking about the thought process here.— Jonathan Brazil \ud83e\uddd9\u200d\u2642\ufe0f\ud83c\udfc3\u200d\u2642\ufe0f #wearamask \ud83d\ude37 (@Jonathan Brazil \ud83e\uddd9\u200d\u2642\ufe0f\ud83c\udfc3\u200d\u2642\ufe0f #wearamask \ud83d\ude37) 1639411928
People getting vaccines in place of someone else has been an ongoing problem in New Zealand.
But health officials in New Zealand worried tightening security at vaccination centers would be a hindrance to their goal of getting as many people vaccinated as possible.
"People who do not have a form of photo identification are disproportionately people in vulnerable groups – homeless or transient, the elderly, the young, people with disabilities – and we don’t want to create barriers to their vaccination."
Roughly 89% of New Zealand’s population is fully vaccinated.
Most of the country is operating under a "post-vaccination system," requiring proof of vaccination to enter most public venues.
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