"Because of Lack of Money..." Indonesian Man Received Money After Getting 17th Vaccine Dose Instead

Published 27 Dec.2021 00:25(KST)

A student is receiving the Chinese-made Sinovac vaccine at a school in Tangerang, Java Island, Indonesia. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] A man in his 40s in Indonesia has sparked controversy after it was revealed that he received COVID-19 vaccinations on behalf of others 17 times in exchange for money.

According to the Asahi Shimbun on the 24th (local time), a 49-year-old man from Central Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, disclosed through his SNS in mid-month that he had been acting as a proxy for vaccine injections.

In the video, he said, "I received between 100,000 to 800,000 rupiah (approximately 8,400 to 67,000 KRW) per person from vaccine recipients and got the shots on their behalf."

The video quickly spread nationwide, causing controversy.

The police, viewing this as a violation of current laws, immediately launched an investigation into the man and confirmed that he had indeed acted as a proxy for at least eight people.

Through local media, the man revealed, "I started proxy vaccination three months ago due to financial reasons."

He also said that there were days when he acted as a proxy for three people in one day, presenting copies of the clients' ID cards at the vaccination site before receiving the shots.

Regarding this, a police official told Asahi, "Since proxy vaccination businesses may be rampant domestically, vaccination workers need to strengthen identity verification."

In fact, fake vaccination certificates are reportedly circulating in Indonesia. Additionally, sellers of forged certificates are being arrested one after another by the police.

Meanwhile, recently, fraudulent methods to avoid getting vaccinated have been rampant worldwide.

According to local Italian media La Repubblica on the 22nd, a current nurse was arrested on charges of falsely administering vaccines to several citizens in exchange for money.