Man in Germany Accused of Getting 90 COVID Shots So He Could Sell Fake Vaccination Cards
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A man in Germany is accused of getting dozens of coronavirus shots so he could later sell forged vaccination cards.
The 60-year-old from Magdeburg in eastern Germany reportedly got up to 90 COVID-19 shots in local centers before he was caught at a vaccination facility in Saxony after going there for a shot two days in a row, NBC News reports.
Police — who seized blank vaccination cards from the man — did not arrest him. However, they launched an investigation against him for unauthorized issuance of vaccination cards and document forgery. His identity has not been revealed due to Germany's privacy regulations, the outlet adds. It's unknown if or how the shots impacted his health.
Police in Germany have carried out several raids linked to fake vaccine passports, says CBS News. At the same time, the country has seen a growth in coronavirus cases in recent months, with health experts noting a potential rise in the BA.2 omicron subvariant.
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Germany has reported a total of 130,029 deaths from the coronavirus, CBS News reports.
As the BA.2 subvariant spreads in Europe, experts issued a warning last month for another rise in U.S. cases.
Past COVID-19 surges hit Europe first before spreading to the U.S. about two weeks later, making their surge in cases a warning sign of what's to come, especially as nearly all of the U.S. moves towards a new post-pandemic life without mask mandates or vaccine requirements.
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Experts hope that while cases may rise — new infections will be mild and will not require hospitalization since more Americans are vaccinated or recovered from recent COVID-19 infections.
Andy Slavitt, a former senior advisor on COVID-19 to the White House, said in a Twitter thread that this anticipated rise in cases means that anyone who hasn't had omicron and hasn't been boosted should do that now, and any kids who are not vaccinated should get it, "particularly now that schools don't require masking."
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