Brace Yourselves For Vaccine Card Fakes, Which the FBI Considers a Federal Crime
Next up in our Great American Pandemic Story we are likely to see a wave of stories about vaccination card forgeries given how easy they are to fake, how many dumb Americans are still avoiding getting vaccinated, and how concerts and other events are going to start requiring people to prove they re vaccinated. And apparently some fake cards have already appeared for sale on places like eBay and Twitter.
Maybe around the Bay Area, where COVID vaccination demand is high and skepticism is low compared to other parts of the state and country, this won t be a major problem. But federal and state authorities are already preparing for a crackdown on faked vaccination cards, and a coalition of 45 attorneys general just co-signed a letter aimed at the CEOs of Twitter, Shopify, and eBay asking them to participate in the crackdown and not allow blank or fraudulently completed cards to be sold on their platforms
Online scammers traffic in fake COVID vaccination cards, authorities warn
FacebookTwitterEmail
Coronavirus vaccination cards, usually issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, contain an individual’s personal information, like name, birth date and which vaccine a person received.Nick Otto / Special to The Chronicle
Fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination cards are being sold online, and authorities have warned individuals not to buy or make one which is illegal.
“Be aware of individuals selling fake COVID-19 vaccination record cards and encouraging others to print fake cards at home,” the FBI said in a public service announcement last week. “Fake vaccination record cards have been advertised on social media websites, as well as e-commerce platforms and blogs.”
Anthony Fauci, America’s top infectious disease official, said the country may not need AstraZeneca’s vaccine even if it passes U.S. regulatory approval, Reuters reported, citing an interview. Sinovac said annual production capacity of its Covid-19 vaccine CoronaVac has reached 2 billion doses.
Fauci on AstraZeneca Shots; Sinovac Capacity: Virus Update Bloomberg 13 mins ago
(Bloomberg)
Anthony Fauci, America’s top infectious disease official, said the country may not need AstraZeneca’s vaccine even if it passes U.S. regulatory approval, Reuters reported, citing an interview. Sinovac said annual production capacity of its Covid-19 vaccine CoronaVac has reached 2 billion doses.
A border city in the southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan will roll out vaccines Friday for all of its 300,000 residents, after it reported the country’s biggest flare-up in Covid-19 infections in more than a month. Chile will close its borders for the month of April in a dramatic escalation of the country’s fight against its worst coronavirus outbreak to date. while Ontario will lock down for four weeks.
U.S. Surpasses 100 Million Initial Vaccine Doses: Virus Update
Bloomberg 5 days ago
The U.S. surpassed 100 million people with at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, less than four months into its vaccination drive. Fully vaccinated people can resume recreational travel in the U.S. at “low risk,” though they should wear masks and avoid crowds, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention update.
New York’s arts and entertainment venues were allowed to reopen on Friday with limited attendance. Governor Andrew Cuomo urged residents to maintain safe behavior.
Germany and the Netherlands suspended AstraZeneca Plc’s shot for people younger than 60. A U.K. regulator said the vaccine’s benefits still outweigh the risks.