A physician in Harris County, Texas, has been accused of taking a vial of COVID-19 vaccine for his personal private use.
Harris County District Lawyer Kim Ogg introduced on Thursday that Dr. Hasan Gokal is being charged with theft by a public servant after allegedly stealing a vial of the vaccine containing 9 doses.
The vaccine theft allegedly occurred on Dec. 29 when Gokal was working on the county vaccination web site at Lyndsay Lyons Park in Humble, in response to a division launch.
Gokal reportedly advised a fellow worker concerning the vial per week after the alleged theft. That worker then reported him to supervisors.
Mishandling the coronavirus vaccine may end up in a lack of authorities funding, so Gokal was fired after the alleged theft was found.
The workplace of Harris County Decide Lina Hidalgo and the workplace of County Lawyer Christian Menefee contacted prosecutors.
“He abused his place to put his family and friends in line in entrance of people that had gone by the lawful course of to be there,” Ogg stated. “What he did was unlawful and he’ll be held accountable underneath the regulation.”
The present Harris County protocols are supposed to make sure the vaccine will not be wasted and will get administered to susceptible populations and front-line employees on a ready listing.
If convicted, Gokal faces a penalty of as much as a yr in jail and a $4,000 superb.
Gokal is an emergency medication doctor in Houston who has been in follow between 11-20 years and is affiliated with a number of hospitals within the space.
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