The Deputy Health Commissioner of Philadelphia, dr. Caroline Johnson, resigned after a report found that she was unfairly offering a vaccine benefit to Philly Fighting COVID, the city’s largest vaccine distribution site.
The Philadelphia Inquirer has obtained records revealing special treatment that Andrei Doroshin, CEO of Philly Fighting COVID, received from Johnson, not disclosed to other health department officials.
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In an email obtained through the publication, Johnson reached out to Doroshin in December regarding a city program that enabled institutions and organizations to apply and possibly administer the vaccine.
Although the proposal has already been made public, health officials may not selectively encourage individuals to apply.
“[T]This action was inappropriate because the information shared was not available to all potential applicants, “Health Department spokesman James Garrow said in a statement to the publication. Commissioner resigned in the best interests of accept the city. ‘
Philly Fighting COVID has filed an application with eight other organizations in the city, although none of the applications have been reviewed at this time, The Philadelphia Inquirer noted.
Doroshin first got the news when the 22-year-old made a $ 2.7 million proposal to Philadelphia City Council as a way to expand vaccinations across the country, NPR reported Friday.
The 22-year-old CEO had an agreement with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and the mayor’s office on January 9 – although the city never signed a contract with Doroshin, they did receive a portion of the permitted vaccine doses Philadelphia handed over.
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Philly Fighting COVID became the city’s first mass vaccination clinic earlier this year.
But controversy quickly erupted over the young CEO, after a nurse claimed on Twitter she saw him take a “Ziplock bag full of vaccines” home.
Doroshin then admitted to the TODAY Show that he actually took home four vaccines and administered them to his friends.
He justified his actions by saying that he did not want the vaccines to go to waste.
“I stand by the decision,” he said. “I understand that I made the mistake. It’s my fault to carry on for the rest of my life. But it’s not the fault of the organization.”
The city has not made any money available for the start of the Philly Fighting COVID, and they have not yet allocated any funds for the program that will enable other organizations in Philadelphia to administer vaccines.
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City officials severed ties with Philly Fighting COVID earlier this week.
The resignation of the deputy health commissioner on Saturday is just the latest debate as city officials try to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.