In New Zealand, man takes 10 COVID vaccines in single day; now under govt probe

In a shocking turn of events, a man from New Zealand is said to have been inoculated with 10 COVID-19 vaccines in a day, news website Stuff reported. According to Stuff, the individual, who has not been identified and is currently under investigation, visited various vaccination centres. He was paid to take shots on behalf of others while appearing to be the ones who had purportedly hired him. Astrid Koornneef, COVID-19 vaccination and immunisation programme manager, told Stuff that the country's Ministry of Health is taking the case seriously.

"We are very concerned about this situation and are working with the appropriate agencies. To assume another person's identity and receive a medical treatment is dangerous. This puts at risk the person who receives a vaccination under an assumed identity and the person whose health record will show they have been vaccinated when they have not," New Zealand Herald cited Koornneef as saying.

The individual has been dubbed as selfish and silly

The government refused to disclose the place where the incident occurred but recommended the individual seek medical attention as soon as possible. Helen Petousis-Harris, a vaccinologist at the University of Auckland, told Stuff that because researches did not cover such high doses, it was difficult to anticipate what would happen to someone who had 10 shots in a single day. He has been dubbed "unbelievably selfish" by the vaccinologist.

Graham Le Gros, head of the Malaghan Institute and an immunologist, described the activities as "silly and hazardous." He went on to say that while the man was unlikely to die as a result of the 10 vaccinations, getting so many doses could mean that the vaccine doesn't perform as well, the news website reported. Moreover, while receiving the vaccine in New Zealand, people are not required to present identification. Following an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases, the nation abandoned its zero-COVID goal in October.

For most of the pandemic, the government was largely recognised for maintaining a very low infection rate. Furthermore, according to the government, visitors who have been vaccinated will be welcomed back in April. Many of the country's businesses and institutions employ a domestic vaccination certificate that only enables persons who have been properly vaccinated to enter. With a population of 5 million people, the country has reported approximately 12,500 cases and 46 deaths since the pandemic began. Approximately 89% of inhabitants are completely immunised.

(With inputs from agencies)

Image: AP/Representative