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ARCHIVED - Thousands fall for Seville vaccination hoax
False messages that vaccines were being administered without prior appointments in the city in Andalusia resulted in a huge crowd gathering outside a vaccination point.
About 4,000 hopeful citizens descended on the Sadus university sports facility in the Los Bermejales district in Seville on Thursday after falling for a hoax regarding coronavirus vaccines, the Andalusian regional government has reported.
Fake messages had announced that those who presented themselves at the facility would be vaccinated with no need for prior appointments. The crowd caused chaos and hampered the normal vaccination process, on a day when although it was a holiday, 2,000 patients, mostly aged over 80, had been given appointments.
The Andalusian Health Service’s lawyers are preparing a case against the propagators of the hoax, as many of those who were turned away provided screenshots of WhatsApp messages.
The health authorities have stressed that those who are due to receive their vaccines are contacted by telephone with an appointment, therefore if unsure it is advisable to check the contact details recorded at your local health centre.