New York begins probe against provider who may have fraudulently obtained COVID-19 vaccine

New York law enforcement agencies have launched an investigation over reports of a health care provider in the state fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 vaccines and diverting them to the public in violation of the guidelines. New York Department of Health on Saturday informed that it is assisting the police in a criminal investigation into the matter. 

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'We take this very seriously'

Earlier, reports emerged that the Parcare Community Health Network, an Orange County provider, may have illegally obtained COVID-19 vaccines and transferred them to facilities in other parts of the state in violation of the priority guidelines set by the authorities. New York, like the rest of the United States, has streamlined health care professionals for the first phase of the vaccination programme in the state.  

"We take this very seriously and DOH will be assisting State Police in a criminal investigation into this matter. Anyone found to have knowingly participated in this scheme will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law," New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said in a statement on Saturday. 

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The United States rolled out the COVID-19 vaccine on December 14 after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted emergency use authorisation (EUA) to Pfizer-BioNTech. The US FDA approved the second vaccine on December 18, granting approval to Moderna. Health care professionals across the country have been prioritised to receive the vaccine in the first phase of the campaign under Operation Warp Speed. 

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According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 1.9 million people in the United States have already been inoculated. The US government has said that it has delivered more than 9.5 million doses of vaccines to state, and territories. New York has been allocated over 9 lakh doses so far, of which 6.3 lakh doses have already been received by the state. New York, as of Saturday, had administered 89,000 shots. 

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