Texas Doctor Accused Of Stealing COVID-19 Vaccine For Personal Use

A Public Health doctor in Harris County, Texas, has been accused of taking a vial of COVID-19 vaccine for his own personal use.

Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced on Thursday that Dr. Hasan Gokal is being charged with Theft by a Public Servant after allegedly stealing a vial of the vaccine containing nine doses.

The vaccine theft allegedly happened Dec. 29 whe Gokal was working at the county vaccination site at Lyndsay Lyons Park, in Humble, according to a department release.

Gokal reportedly told a fellow employee about the vial a week after the alleged theft. That employee then reported him to supervisors.

Mishandling vaccine can result in a loss of government funding to the county, so the doctor was fired after the alleged theft was discovered.

The Office of Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and The Office of County Attorney Christian Menefee contacted prosecutors.

“He abused his position to place his friends and family in line in front of people who had gone through the lawful process to be there,” Ogg said.  “What he did was illegal and he’ll be held accountable under the law.”

The current Harris County protocols in place are intended to ensure vaccine is not wasted and gets administered to vulnerable populations and front-line workers on a waiting list.

If convicted, Gokal faces up to The Class A Misdemeanor carries a penalty of up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine.

Gokal is an emergency medicine physician in Houston, Texas who has been in practice between 11-20 years and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area.