Man Paid To Get 10 COVID-19 Vaccine Shots In One Day

Health officials in New Zealand have launched an investigation after a man received up to 10 COVID-19 vaccine shots in one day on behalf of other people.

The country's Ministry of Health did not disclose when and where the incidents took place, but the unidentified man is believed to have visited several vaccination centers and been paid to get the jabs.

Astrid Koornneef, the COVID-19 vaccine and immunization program group manager for the Ministry of Health, told Stuff.co.nz that the ministry 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," Koornneef said.

People in New Zealand can get vaccinated by going to a walk-in center or by booking through a website or a doctor, The Guardian reported. They would then provide their name, date of birth and physical address to a health care worker to be administered a vaccine, but no further identification is required.

Authorities first received reports of people assuming other people’s identities and receiving COVID-19 vaccines on their behalf back in October.

Koornneef said that assuming another person's identity to receive medical treatment was "dangerous" and that all parties involved were being put at risk.

"Having an inaccurate vaccination status not only puts you at risk, [but] it [also] puts your friends, [extended family] and community at risk, and the healthcare teams that treat you now in the future," Koornneef explained.

Helen Petousis-Harris, a vaccinologist and associate professor at the Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care at the University of Auckland, called the behavior "unbelievably selfish" and said that it took advantage of people who needed money, according to the New Zealand Herald.

"I think it is a very selfish act on the behalf of the buyer, and exploiting, perhaps, somebody who needed to get some money and is willing to take those risks, which is not very community-minded,” Petousis-Harris said.

The man who got multiple COVID-19 vaccine doses is unlikely to suffer any serious harm, the professor said.

Higher vaccine doses, however, have resulted in more general vaccine reactions like fever, headaches and pains, so he "would feel pretty grotty the next day," according to Petousis-Harris.

The Ministry of Health has urged anyone who received more vaccine doses than what was recommended to seek clinical advice.

New Zealand is expected to hit its 90% double vaccinated goal for people aged 12 years and older before Christmas. The country has reported 12,617 COVID-19 cases and 47 deaths since the pandemic began, government data showed.