A West Australian nurse is facing charges for allegedly pretending to give a teenager a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
WA Police allege the 51-year-old registered nurse — who was administering the vaccines at a private medical centre in St James — obtained approval from her employer to administer a dose to someone known to her and their teenage child on Sunday.
The incident allegedly occurred despite a doctor being in attendance to observe the process.
"It will be alleged the nurse inserted the needle into the teenager’s arm, but failed to administer the vaccine," WA Police said in a statement.
"It will be further alleged the syringe, with vaccine liquid still inside, was disposed of and a false entry was made on the medical records system indicating the teenager had received the dose of the vaccine."
Police also allege the nurse recorded that another employee at the medical centre had administered the dose.
They said an investigation had commenced after the medical centre had reported the matter to them.
"The 51-year-old Byford woman was arrested yesterday at her residence and has been charged with one count of ‘Gains Benefit by Fraud’," police said.
She was refused bail and is due to appear in the Perth Magistrates Court today.
