A Disney employee and Riverside resident reportedly announced on Facebook that she received the COVID-19 vaccine ahead of frontline workers because she is related to a Redlands Community Hospital employee.
“When I woke up this morning, I didn’t think I would be getting the COVID-19 vaccine today. But here we are. I’m so very happy,” the woman posted on Sunday, Dec.20. “Science is basically my religion, so this was a big deal for me.”
When a commenter asked the woman how she had jumped the line, she said she had a relative who was a “big deal” at the hospital and had some doses of the vaccine set to expire, according to The Orange County Register.
“We were expecting some things like this to happen," University of San Francisco Professor Taryn Vian told KCBS Radio. She says wealth and connections are unfortunately likely to play a role in vaccine distribution.
“Redlands Community Hospital administered its allotment of Pfizer vaccines to its frontline physicians, healthcare workers and support staff per California Department of Public Health guidelines,” a statement from the hospital says.
“After physicians and staff who expressed interest in the vaccine were administered, there were several doses left. Because the reconstituted Pfizer vaccine must be used within hours or be disposed of, several doses were administered to non-front line healthcare workers so that valuable vaccine would not be thrown away.”
Redlands Community began administering its first batch of the vaccine to frontline workers and support staff on Dec. 18.
“But when it is left over, you need to anticipate who should you give it to," said Vian. "And if you’re thinking just in the moment, you might just try and give it to someone you know."
California is still working through "Phase 1A" of vaccinations for healthcare workers and residents and staff of long-term care facilities and the state's recent allotment of the Pfizer vaccine was cut by 40% by the federal government.
Vian says the potential for fraud will increase once it is time for seniors with underlying health conditions to get vaccinated, as defining those conditions are wide open to interpretation and HIPAA rules keep those conditions private.