Florida Women Dress Up As 'Grannies' To Get COVID Vaccine
MIAMI (CBSMiami/CNN) -- Two Florida women were caught impersonating old women while trying to receive their second coronavirus vaccines this week.
According to the Director of the Florida Department of Health in Orange County, the women were dressed up as "grannies."
The women came to the vaccination site at the Orange County Convention Center wearing bonnets, gloves, and glasses in an attempt to receive their vaccines, Dr. Raul Pino said during a press conference.
According to the sheriff's office, the women were 44 and 34.
Both women had valid vaccine cards from their first shot, Pino said. They were denied their second shot while dressed up because the birth dates on their ID cards did not match the dates they used to register for the appointments.
SEE IT: Watch Orange County deputies give 'grannies' their trespass warnings
Health officials did not know how the women were able to get their first vaccine shots and whether they had dressed up then as well.
"They had a valid citizen card with vaccination, so part of the findings that we have to do is were they really vaccinated by us, when? Who vaccinated? What happened? When? What time?" said Pino.
The department has increased security around the site.
"This is the hottest commodity that is out there right now," Pino said. "We have to be very careful with the funds and the resources that we are provided."
Pino says they are looking into whether there's some sort of loophole in their process, or if the women had help on the inside, to get the first dose.
As for whether there have been more, unreported cases of posing as someone else, to get the vaccine: "I will not know, I think it's higher than we suspect to be honest with you. As we are engaged in this process in trying to move people quickly, some people could squeeze it."
The women were not charged, but were issued trespass warnings.
Currently, Florida is prioritizing adults 65 and older, long-term care facility residents and staff and healthcare workers with direct patient contact for the vaccine.
The state has been one of many to have shipments of vaccine doses delayed due to severe winter storms across the US.
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