B.C. health officials using ‘strict processes’ to prevent COVID vaccine record fraud

British Columbia health officials say COVID-19 immunization records entered into the provincial immunization registry that are suspected to be fraudulent are being reported to law enforcement.

A news release Tuesday says records are reviewed using “strict processes” to prevent fraud and ensure that those who’ve been entered into the system are vaccinated.

It says the province will mail letters to 1,715 people who tried to submit their personal vaccine records into the registry and failed.

“Letters will be personally addressed and will encourage them to get vaccinated at the earliest opportunity,” said Health Minister Adrian Dix, addressing the issue in a press briefing.

“Currently, as you all know, people are required to be fully vaccinated with a complete series of Health Canada-approved vaccines to receive a B.C. vaccine card or federal proof of vaccination.”

A small number of records were not able to be entered due to a variety of issues and errors, Dix added, and the Provincial Health Services Authority will work with individually with the handful of vaccinated British Columbians who encountered difficulties with the system.

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The release says British Columbians are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 if they have two shots of Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, Oxford-AstraZeneca or one dose of Johnson & Johnson.

As of Tuesday, 82.4 per cent of eligible British Columbians five and older had received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

With files from Global News’ Elizabeth McSheffrey