New COVID-19 vaccine cards to be introduced to curb forgery

The forgery of COVID-19 vaccination booklets has continued, prompting the Health Ministry to look to introduce a new and more secured document as proof of vaccination.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony on Monday stated that authorities were looking at a more secure document – one which could not be obtained by persons who initially forged their immunisation card.
“We’re going to change the card system. We’re working on that right now. Very soon, we are going to introduce a new and different type of card that’s going to be harder to forge and if people did not have the proper documentation in the first place, then they will not get the new card that we’re putting in,” Dr Anthony noted.
Health-care workers have been facilitating the false obtainment of vaccination cards and to date, 15 cases are being investigated by the Police.
“Majority of the health-care workers are honest, hardworking people. But unfortunately, we do have a few dishonest people among the grouping and they are the ones who have been facilitating these cards. They are giving cards without people receiving the vaccines and once we get the information, we are going to get the Police to investigate and prosecute these persons,” Dr Anthony said.
Health-care personnel have been specifically cautioned to desist from this act since those who are caught will face the “full force of the law” and can possibly be disbarred from work in the health sector.
“This is a very dangerous thing in the sense that if you’re facilitating somebody to get the card, but they didn’t get the vaccine, then when they get sick, we’ll probably think they were immunised and we’re getting a breakthrough infection when in the first place, they did not get the vaccine at all. We have to put an end to this practice,” the Health Minister said.
Persons caught purchasing the cards will also be charged for tendering a forged document. The public has since been asked to report any suspected instance where such activities are ongoing.
Mark Samuels, of Lot 276 South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was the last known person charged with stealing vaccination booklets. The 31-year-old driver attached to the Health Ministry appeared on August 30 at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, where he pleaded not guilty to the charge.
It is alleged that between August 22 and August 23, at Brickdam, Georgetown, he broke into the vaccination centre of the Health Ministry and stole 66 COVID-19 vaccination booklets valued at $1014. Samuels was remanded to prison for the offence.
It is alleged that during the period mentioned in the charge, a female nurse discovered that the lock on the cupboard in which the vaccination booklets were stored was broken. Upon checking, the nurse noticed that the vaccination booklets were missing and immediately notified her supervisor.
The supervisor reported the matter to the Police. Samuels was reportedly caught on CCTV footage entering the vaccination centre.
Earlier in August, 27-year-old Avinash Rameshwar, a driver attached to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, was also remanded to prison for allegedly stealing one dozen vaccination booklets. The Lot 50 Good Intent, West Bank Demerara (WBD) resident was charged with simple larceny and forging an official document.
He was among the three men arrested by Police after they were caught with 12 blank and unstamped COVID-19 vaccine booklets, 17 stamped sick leave forms, and several pieces of medical equipment, including a stethoscope, sugar testing kit, and pressure testing kit.
Initially, the men were caught with four blank and unstamped COVID-19 vaccine booklets, but based on investigations, Police ranks went to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, where a request was made to conduct a search on the minibus which is usually driven by Rameshwar.
During the search, ranks found seven blank blue COVID-19 booklets in a compartment between the driver’s and passenger’s seats. This was brought to the men’s attention, but they bowed their heads and remained silent. The trio was arrested after two of them visited the Vreed-en-Hoop Health Centre, West Coast Demerara, and requested a female nurse to stamp the booklets.
The nurse checked the booklets and observed that they were all blank and knowing that the men were not supposed to be in possession of them, she immediately brought the issue to the attention of her supervisor, who subsequently reported the matter to the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station.