New Yorkers Stampede Vaccination Site Chasing Rumor of Extra Doses on WhatsApp and Social Media
“There is NOT available vaccine for people without appointments,” a city spokesperson said.
Brendan McDermid/Reuters
Hundreds of New Yorkers rushed to a vaccine distribution site in Brooklyn Thursday evening, chasing a rumor that the site had more than 400 extra doses of the coronavirus preventative. The false information circulated on social media and WhatsApp. A spokesman for Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted, “There is NOT available vaccine for people without appointments. This was misinformation and the notification did not come from the NYC gov. We are sending people to Brooklyn Army Terminal to ask people in line to return home if they don't have appointments.” A screenshot of the WhatsApp message read, “PLEASE SHARE: We need to give our 410+ doses in next 4 hours at Brooklyn Army Terminal (by 7 pm), taking anyone in community age 18+, walk ins, or earlier than scheduled.” With demand for the vaccine sky-high around the country, vaccination sites have been overwhelmed amid a rollout of the medicine experts have called haphazard.
After word started to spread of 400+ surplus vaccine shots in Brooklyn—passed on by WhatsApp messages and screenshots—this is what *part* of the scene looks like right now pic.twitter.com/cndF7r5zzc
— Stephen Lurie (@luriethereal) January 14, 2021
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