Measures have been taken to protect New Zealand's Covid-19 immunisation programme amid reports of vaccine theft and sabotage overseas, the Ministry of Health says.
Doses of the vaccines developed in response to the pandemic which has killed 2.45 million worldwide are being offered for sale on hidden parts of the internet, although experts said many of the vaccines on the so-called dark web were likely fake or would never be shipped, the Financial Times reported.
And in Florida a man recently named "Paramedic of the Year" was arrested last month after helping a supervisor steal Covid-19 vaccines meant for first responders, police said.
There's also been instances of sabotage, with Wisconsin pharmacist and self-proclaimed conspiracy theorist Stephen Brandenburg now facing up to 20 years in prison after he admitted tampering with more than 500 doses of coronavirus vaccine.
They were aware of vaccine theft and sabotage overseas, a Ministry of Health spokeswoman told the Herald.
