MoH aware people might be getting vaccinated on behalf of others

October 25, 2021

The Ministry of Health has alerted police that some Kiwis may be getting vaccinated on behalf of others.

1News has heard reports people are going to vaccination clinics and pretending to be someone else so it shows under the named person’s health records they have had Pfizer vaccine administered to them.

As a result, the person named won’t lose out on jobs, access to events and other activities available to them under the vaccination passport system set to come in place.

The Ministry of Health confirmed it’s told police this may be happening.

Places administering vaccines operate in high trusts environments, relying on the good faith of those getting jabbed to be honest in who they are - you don’t need to show identification, just give personal details, or an NHI number.

“Having an inaccurate vaccination status not only puts you at risk, it puts your friends, whānau and community at risk, and the healthcare teams that treat you now and in the future,” says Jo Gibbs, National Director Covid-19 Vaccine and Immunisation Programme

“To assume another person's identity and receive a medical treatment is dangerous.”

But Gibbs says it’s not sure how to get around this dilemma, as requiring identification may work against the goal of being one of the most vaccinated countries in the world.

“People who do not have a form of photo identification are disproportionately people in vulnerable groups – homeless or transient, the elderly, the young, people with disabilities – and we don’t want to create barriers to their vaccination.”

On Friday, the Prime Minister announced a traffic light system which sets out a framework for what vaccinated and unvaccinated people will be able to do depending on transmission and the health system.

The Government has mandated that several jobs, including border workers, health care providers and teachers will need to be vaccinated to continue working. While some companies, like PWC and Russell McVeagh, have publicly stated it will not allow unvaccinated people into their buildings.

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