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A Texas doctor has been accused of stealing nine doses of the coveted COVID-19 vaccine while working at a county vaccination site, prosecutors said Thursday.
Dr Hasan Gokal, who worked with the Harris County Public Health System, is accused of stealing a vial containing the doses from a vaccination site in Humble on December 29, the Harris County District Attorney said, Kim Ogg, in a statement.
A week later, Gokal bragged about the theft to a colleague, who then complained to his superiors, Ogg said.
Gokal was then fired from his job.
Ogg said Gokal stole the doses to give to family and friends, leaving those who needed them most.
“He abused his position to put his friends and family online in front of people who had gone through the legal process to be there,” Ogg said of Gokal. “What he did was illegal and he will be held accountable under the law.”
Lawyer Paul Doyle defended his client by arguing that the vaccine would have expired anyway.
“Dr. Gokal is a dedicated public servant who ensured that doses of COVID-19 vaccine that would otherwise have expired were in the arms of people who qualified to receive it, ”Doyle said in a statement to KHOU11.
“Harris County would have preferred Dr. Gokal to let the vaccines go to waste and attempt to denigrate this man’s reputation in the process of supporting this policy. We look forward to our day in court to rectify this problem, ”continued the lawyer.
Gokal faces up to a year in prison and a fine of $ 4,000.
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