‘Don’t Call Us We’ll Call You’ Message Open to Exploitation
Urgent Need for Clarity on Vaccination Pathway for Older People and Vulnerable Adults
(25 January 2021) Age Action, Ireland’s leading advocacy organisation for older people, has called for immediate clarity on the COVID-19 vaccination pathway for older people and vulnerable adults as Gardai issue a warning to the public on a fraudulent scam related to the vaccine.
Paddy Connolly, CEO of Age Action said ‘The ‘don’t call us we’ll call you’ message about how people over 70 will access the COVID-19 vaccine has left some people vulnerable to a fraudulent scam. People over 70 are identified as a priority group to be vaccinated but they are weeks waiting for practical information about exactly how and when they will access the vaccine.
We understand that the COVID-19 vaccination roll out is an unprecedented challenge but unfortunately the information gap has been exploited by some people who want to do harm. The people in the priority vaccination categories need to know now, in plain English, the vaccination pathway they will follow including how they will be identified, what will inform their consent, where they can expect to receive the jab, what personal information will be requested and if they don’t have ID or are not online what is the solution? Clear, accurate communication delivered consistently through appropriate channels is urgently required so confidence in the vaccination roll-out can be maintained and vulnerable adults are safeguarded.’
Age Action is urging older people to be on the alert, not to give their personal information to someone they don’t know who is contacting them about the vaccine and to talk to a trusted person if they are concerned.
‘COVID-19 has eroded a lot of the support system for many older people. The 50% of people over the age of 75 who experience digital exclusion are in a particularly vulnerable situation as they are getting mixed messages about the vaccination pathway. We urge family and friends to make people aware of this scam and to only share accurate information from accurate sources’ Connolly said.
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