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People aged 65 and over are primarily eligible for the vaccine in Florida.
Two women disguised themselves as “grannies” in an unsuccessful attempt to obtain a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, Florida health officials said.
“So yesterday we realized that two young women had come in disguised as grannies to get the second shot,” said Dr. Raul Pino, director of the Florida Department of Health in Orange County, during ‘a press briefing on Thursday. “So I don’t know how they got away the first time.”
The women showed up at the Orange County Convention Center wearing hats, gloves and goggles – “the whole thing,” Pino said. They are in their 30s and 40s, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, which would make them ineligible to receive the vaccination outside of a health care or long-term care facility.
Both had valid vaccination cards on their first shot, but on their second attempt there were issues with their driver’s licenses, Pino said.
MPs issued trespass warnings for the two women after their birth dates “don’t match the ones they used to register for vaccines,” the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release. “The names, however, match the recording.”
The sheriff’s office identified the women as Olga Monroy-Ramirez, 44, and Martha Vivian Monroy, 34.
No further law enforcement action was taken, the sheriff’s office said, adding, “And we have no information on whether they were wearing disguises or how they were dressed.”
There have been a few cases of people misrepresenting themselves for a dose, Pino said, adding that it was probably “higher than we suspect”.
The county has stepped up security at the vaccination site to “deter any bad intentions anyone may have,” Pino said.
“It is the most popular product in existence today,” said the director. “So we have to be very careful with the funds and resources provided to us.”
Beyond healthcare workers, residents and staff in long-term care facilities, people 65 years of age and older can get vaccinated in Florida. Nearly 45% of that population has been vaccinated in Orange County, officials said Thursday.
Last month, Florida began requiring proof of residency for COVID-19 vaccinations in some counties amid concerns about ‘vaccine tourism’ after eligibility was opened to anyone aged 65. years and older.
The widening of eligibility has resulted in long queues, with some seniors even camping overnight in lawn chairs in the hope of getting vaccinated.
Florida had administered about 3.8 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine as of Thursday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
ABC News’ Will Gretsky, Kevin Kraus and Erin Schumaker contributed to this report.
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