Texas hospital responds over accusations that medical worker was given fake COVID vaccine shot

A Texas hospital has responded to accusations that medical workers were administered a fake coronavirus vaccine shot.

To bolster public confidence in the Pfizer vaccine, which was rolled out to the public last week, medical workers and leaders, like Vice President Mike Pence, have received the vaccine in front of news cameras.

But one University Medical Center of El Paso medical worker's vaccine inoculation triggered controversy because viewers claimed he did not actually receive the shot.

KTSM-TV reported:

In our video, you can see the UMC health care worker with his sleeve rolled up, but when it comes time for the injection, it appears that the person administering the shot doesn't push down on the plunger — the plunger looks like it is already depressed.

Viewers said:

• "Syringe is empty, the guy didn't push the syringe at all, bad acting, and the person 'receiving' the vacc is not a nurse but a paramedic says in his badge. False reporting all around," one critic said.
• "Clearly that syringe was EMPTY and the plunger was already down. Where's the bandaid? Yeah, nice try! We are not fooled!" another person responded.
• "He didn't push anything out of the syringe! He tapped it with his finger...." another person observed.
• "So you don't have to even inject it injects it self lol the plunger on the needle is already down the nurse didn't even have to push it done don't let then fool you," one person responded.

How did the hospital respond?

The hospital told KTSM in a statement that to remove any doubt surrounding their staff's inoculation, they proceeded to given the "nurse in question" a second dose of the vaccine.

"After numerous reports emerged on social media claiming one of the five nurses receiving a vaccination on Tuesday did not receive a full dose of vaccine, we want to remove any doubt raised that he was not fully vaccinated and further strengthen confidence in the vaccination process," the hospital said.

The statement continued, "The nurse in question today was vaccinated again. UMC has confirmed with the US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) that re-vaccinating the nurse will not cause adverse effects. The nurse will need to return after three weeks to receive his second dose."