LTV: Suspicions grow about Covid patients with fake certificates

Take note – story published 2 years ago

The increase in the number of patients with Covid-19 also increases the suspicion of falsified vaccination certificates. The investigating authorities have criminal cases involving even hundreds of fake vaccination certificates, Latvian Television broadcast “De facto” reported October 31.

So far there is one completed investigation involving fraudulent Covid-19 certificates. The Prosecutor's Office fined a nurse €1,500 for falsifying tests. She took a smear from her nose and throat and sent another person's name to the laboratory so they could get a negative test and go abroad.

But there are still around 20 criminal cases in the investigating authorities over the production of false vaccination certificates. In a number of cases, the following procedures for purchasing false certificates are highlighted: customers are directed to a specific vaccination point employee who merely simulates vaccination.

“Either this vaccine is given in a cotton ball or is not administered at all. Or there are individual cases where saline solution is administered to the shoulder. And then the person receives this certificate,” said Pēteris Bauska, chief of the State Police's Office for Combating Economic Crimes.

In one of the police investigations, it is suspected that about 200 fake certificates have been issued thus. Bauska says prices for this 'service' range from €150-€500.

Those who have managed to buy a fake certificate must note that the code reader may be deceived, but the Covid-19 virus cannot.

In particular, cases of severe illness and the presence of a vaccinated patient at the hospital are analyzed. “We test antibodies in vaccinated patients at hospitals who are Covid-19 positive patients, and in this way we expect them to have antibodies,” said Sergejs Ņikišins, head of the reference laboratory.

There are patients whose antibodies do not work well but usually vaccinated people should have at least some. If there are no antibodies, it is added to suspicious cases.

Ņikišins told LTV that in September, there were 17 suspicious cases. Data for October, with a significant increase in the number of hospitalized Covid-19 patients, have not yet been compiled, but he notes that the number of suspicious cases will be at least twice as high.

In such cases, before deciding to cancel the certificate, doctors should first find out why there are no antibodies. In order to cancel a certificate, it is necessary to collect evidence that it is false. The police have so far managed to achieve the cancellation of approximately 30 certificates.

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