Health workers charged with forging vaccination cards

Two female nurses and a male screening personnel employed by the Ministry of Health were charged on Tuesday for allegedly forging COVID-19 vaccination cards.

They have been identified as Andel Valentine, 32, of Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara; Teneka Pollard, 29, of Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara and 21-year-old Olivia Bonus.

They all appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Diamond Magistrate’s Court and were not required to plea to the charges. The trio was placed on $150,000 bail each.

It is alleged that they forged COVID-19 vaccination cards at various vaccination centres between March 01, 2021 and December 03, 2021.

The matter was adjourned until January, 20, 2022. Police Headquarters reported that the trio was arrested on December 3.

With the implementation of vaccination requirements to enter most buildings, there have been many reports of forged and fake vaccination cards.

The new COVID-19 regulations, issued for the month of December, explicitly state that any hardcopy or digital proof of vaccination must have the official stamp of the applicable country affixed on them. Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony recently said that people can go to local vaccination centres to get those books stamped.

Recently, several health workers have also been remanded to prison and charged for stealing, selling and forging vaccination cards.