Those aged 65 and over are primarily eligible for the vaccine in Florida.
Two women disguised themselves as ‘grandmothers’ in a failed attempt to get a second dose of COVID-19 vaccine, health officials in Florida said.
“So we realized yesterday that some young ladies were dressed as grandmothers for the second time to be vaccinated,” said Dr. Raul Pino, the director of the Florida Department of Health in Orange County, said during a news conference Thursday. ‘I do not know how they escaped the first time. ‘
The women arrive at the Orange County Convention Center with hood, gloves and goggles – “the whole thing,” Pino said. According to the sheriff of Orange County, they are in their thirties and forties, which does not allow them to receive the vaccination outside of a health care or long-term care facility.
The two had valid vaccination cards from their first shot, but with their second attempt, there were issues with their driver’s licenses, Pino said.
Deputies issued the two women violation warnings after their birth dates “did not match those they used to register for the vaccines,” the sheriff in Orange County said in a statement. “However, the names match the registration.”
The sheriff identified the women as Olga Monroy-Ramirez (44) and Martha Vivian Monroy (34).
The sheriff’s office took no other law enforcement action, saying, “And we have no information as to whether they are wearing a disguise or how they were dressed.”
There have been a few instances where people have misrepresented themselves to receive a dose, Pino said, adding that it is probably “higher than we suspect.”
The province has increased security at the vaccination site to deter “possible bad intentions someone may have,” Pino said.
“This is the hottest commodity currently available,” the director said. “So we have to be very careful with the funds and the resources that we provide.”
In addition to health care workers and residents and staff of long-term care facilities, those aged 65 and older are eligible to receive the vaccine in Florida. Officials said Thursday that nearly 45% of the population in Orange County has been vaccinated.
Last month, Florida began requiring proof of residence for COVID-19 vaccinations in select provinces following concerns about a “vaccine tourism” after admission up to the age of 65 was opened.
The extended fitness resulted in long queues, with some elderly people even camping in grass chairs overnight in hopes of being vaccinated.
According to Thursday, Florida administered approximately 3.8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
ABC News’ Will Gretsky, Kevin Kraus and Erin Schumaker contributed to this report.