Three nurses arrested for forging fake vaccination cards

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İstanbul's financial police yesterday (September 7) detained six employees of a private hospital for forging fake Covid-19 vaccination cards.

Three people have been released on probation while three nurses have been arrested for "qualified fraud" and "forgery of documents," CNN Türk reported.

The police found WhatsApp messages proving the crime on the nurses' seized phones, according to the report.

What happened to vaccine jabs that were not administered is also being investigated as the İstanbul Provincial Directorate of Health has launched an administrative investigation into the incident, said CNN Türk.

As of Monday (September 6), the government mandated negative PCR tests for those who are not fully vaccinated for intercity travels and attending crowded events such as concerts and films.

Teachers and other school employees have to be either fully vaccinated or submit negative test results twice a week. Private businesses are allowed to impose the same conditions on their employees.

"Murder and injury"

Forging fake vaccination cards and PCR test documents may also constitute the crimes of "bribery," "murder" and "injury" in some cases, according to Prof. Adem Sözüer from İstanbul University Faculty of Law.

"For example, a person knows that they have the virus and goes to work, takes the train or attends mass events using a face vaccination card or PCR test and infects others. Even if the infected person recovers, the crime of 'injury' occurs. If they die, the crime of 'murder' occurs," he told the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA).

Since those who choose no to be vaccinated can also affect public health, it is legitimate to stipulate some measures and obligations for them, the professor said, adding, however, that these should be done in moderation and by laws.

More than 80 percent of Turkey's adult population have received at least one vaccine dose and over 60 percent are fully vaccinated, accoding to the Ministry of Health data. According to an Ipsos survey conducted in June, 11 percent of people in Turkey were against the Covid vaccine while 13 percent were hesitant about being inoculated. (EMK/VK)