Nurse in Italy arrested over fake Covid vaccines scam

At least 50 people reportedly paid the suspect to obtain a vaccination pass without receiving the jab

A nurse has been arrested in Italy over a Covid-19 vaccine scam that saw at least 50 people pay to receive a vaccination pass without being jabbed, police in Italy have said.

A man in Ancona - in the Marche region of central Italy - was caught on video discarding vaccines into a container for used needles and even applying bandages to people who did not actually receive the jab.

The man is being investigated by the town's tribunal for corruption, fake certificates and wasting public goods.

Four additional people have also been arrested on suspicion of being mediators in the scam and have been placed on house arrest. Forty-five people who received the fake vaccine certificates are forbidden from leaving their municipalities under a tribunal order.

The suspects, based in the main Covid vaccination hub of the Marche region, earned at least €18,000 (£15,000) faking at least 50 certificates according to Italian police.

Participants in the scam travelled across Italy and were paying around €400 for each certificate.

Such scams have been identified throughout the pandemic, especially in nations with strict rules for non-vaccinated people. A man in New Zealand received the Covid vaccine 10 times in a day allegedly being paid to receive the jab by nine people.

It comes as Italy recently announced tighter Covid which will see visitors need a “super green pass” vaccine passport - essentially, a record of having had at least two vaccine doses - to access a number of venues and modes of transport, including ski lifts and restaurants.

From February, Italy will impose a validity period of six months on proof of vaccination, meaning that travellers who had their second dose more than six months ago will need a booster in order to enter these venues.

The nation has a system of four colour-coded zones: red, orange, yellow and white, denoting the risk of Covid infection with restrictions to match.