Some school officials are worried about reports that fake COVID-19 vaccine cards can be bought online for as little as $25 in the wake of the spread of the virus’ delta variant.
The officials are among the 664 colleges and universities that require students to get vaccinated before they are admitted in class.
According to reports fake laminated COVID-19 vaccine cards are being offered by Instagram user “vaccinationcards” for $25.
On the instant messaging app Telegram, one user is offering “COVID-19 Vaccine Cards Certificates” for up to $200 each.
“This is our way of saving as many people as we possibly can from the poisonous vaccine,” reads the Telegram user’s message.
A school official said students should be held accountable for their actions in the wake of the fake COVID vaccine cards report.
“There need to be policies in place for accountability to make sure that every student is operating in the collective interest of the entire campus,” a global health policy professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Benjamin Mason Meier said.
Sources said since several colleges and universities are requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination for students to attend in-person classes, the mandatory requirement has opened the door for those opposed to getting the vaccine to cheat the system.
Moreover, in March, the concern over fake COVID-19 vaccination cards prompted the FBI to issue a joint statement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services urging people not to buy, create or sell fabricated vaccine cards.
The unauthorized use of the seal of an official government agency such as HHS or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a federal crime that carries a possible fine and a maximum of five years in prison.
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