Ian Patrick, FISM News
A teacher from Long Island was arrested on New Year’s Eve for allegedly jabbing a 17-year-old with what police believe is a COVID-19 vaccine, according to reporting from NBC News 4 New York.
Laura Russo is believed to be a science teacher at Herricks Public Schools in New Hyde Park located on Long Island. Her son had a friend over to the Russo house, and this friend supposedly asked to be vaccinated because his mother didn’t allow him to get one. When the friend got home, he told his mother about what happened, and she called the police on Russo.
Pei-Sze Cheng, an investigative reporter for the NBC affiliate, posted a video she obtained onto Twitter showing Russo and the boy, whose face was blurred out to protect his identity.
“There you go, at home vaccine”. Police have arrested a Long Island mother for illegally giving a 17 year old boy a shot of Covid vaccine in her home. And there’s video….Only on @NBCNewYork #nbc4ny pic.twitter.com/KpG5vAQaDT
— Pei-Sze Cheng (@PeiSzeCheng4NY) January 3, 2022
An investigation into the matter is currently underway, and Russo has been reassigned from her classroom duties according to an update from NBC News 4 New York.
The police do not have too much to report on so far, and the case itself is still based on allegations. They are not sure how Russo was able to obtain what they believe is an approved COVID-19 vaccine in her home.
What’s more is that the video shows what may be the one-shot Johnson & Johnson candidate which is approved only for adults 18 years and older. Because the boy was 17, and because Russo is not a licensed professional in vaccine administration, the situation could have more dire consequences.
Mount Sinai South Nassau Dr. Aaron Glatt told the NBC affiliate that this is more than just an illegal act, “it’s just not a smart thing to do.”
“An authorized, licensed professional should be providing vaccines to know how to give them properly to make sure if there’s a complication that can be dealt with immediately and very efficiently,” he added.
Russo was charged with unauthorized practice of a profession under New York state education law and was told to appear in court on Jan. 21. The school she works at is not related in the investigation, according to district officials.