Searches spike for fake Covid vaccine cards as unvaccinated look to get around pandemic guidance

Search terms like ‘fake covid card’ and ‘fake covid vaccine card’ soar after CDC releases new guidance for vaccinated people

Internet search results for fake Covid-19 vaccination cards have spiked after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that vaccinated individuals did not need to wear a mask, Forbes reports.

Based on Google Trends over the last 90 days, it looked as though unvaccinated Americans were considering avoiding a Covid-19 vaccine by potentially obtaining a fake vaccination card.

Search terms like “fake covid card” and “fake covid vaccine card” soared after the CDC released new guidance on 13 May for Americans fully vaccinated against Covid-19. The guidance allows for fully vaccinated individuals to forgo wearing a mask and adhering to social distancing in most situations.

The publication notes that the spike in searches surrounding a fake vaccination card have since dropped, but there was a sharp rise following the change to CDC guidance.

Interest in fake vaccination cards came as states and businesses were left grappling with how to move forward with their masking guidance following the CDC announcement.

Several states are pursuing legislation that would establish criminal penalties for producing, selling, and using a fake Covid-19 vaccination card.

Vaccination cards were the only way people could determine if someone was fully vaccinated or not, which leaves certain guidance up to the honour system.

Some restaurants and other institutions were still enforcing masking policies or asking that people provide proof of vaccination. All of which has influenced the rise in interest in fake vaccination cards.

California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta warned on Wednesday against residents seeking out a fake vaccination card amid the pandemic.

“These counterfeit records undermine the health and safety of Californians and are also illegal,” Mr Bonta said in a consumer alert warning. “I advise you to get your Covid-19 vaccination and the authentic vaccination record that reflects you were vaccinated. Please do not purchase a fraudulent record, do not make your own, and do not fill in blank vaccination record cards with false information.”

Several reports have already surfaced of people selling fake vaccination cards.

In California’s San Joaquin County, a bar owner was arrested after allegedly selling fake laminated vaccination cards for $20 apiece at his establishment.

A 21-year-old CVS employee in Levittown, New York, was also arrested for allegedly pilfering eight vaccination cards that were pre-filled with all information including the person’s name, and 54 blank ones.

“They were taken within the last couple of days, with the intent to share them with family members and friends, so that they could go into venues and possibly even use them at schools,” said Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder.

The employee has since been fired from CVS and the store said it was cooperating with the investigation.