Retail pharmacy Rite Aid issued an apology after one Southern California store denied two illegal immigrants COVID-19 vaccines.
“In such an unprecedented rollout, there are going to be mistakes and there will be always areas for providers to improve — we’re seeking out those opportunities every day,” Rite Aid said in a statement to the Washington Examiner.
Rite Aid said the immigrants, both women, have since received their first COVID-19 dose after they were told earlier this month that they couldn’t receive a vaccine. The company said the vaccine denial incidents were unrelated and added that its staff has been retrained on store policy never to turn anyone away.
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Of the two incidents, one woman, a San Fernando Valley mother, was denied by a Rite Aid in Mission Hills after presenting her foreign ID, a local ABC affiliate reported.
The outlet also reported that a woman in South Orange County was denied her COVID-19 vaccination on the same day at a Rite Aid in Laguna Niguel last week.
One of the women’s children, Sebastian Araujo, posted to social media following the incident saying he was “appalled” and that his mother was crying.
“[Rite Aid] asked for her social security and the woman at the front kept stating that they were not vaccinating people who are UNDOCUMENTED. my mom was literally sobbing and I’m literally appalled,” Araujo tweeted.
almost forgot, but here’s my mom after receiving her vaccine. thank you guys so much for your support. we’re still gonna advocate to make sure that no undocumented individuals are denied a covid vaccine because of their immigration status. pic.twitter.com/387tcU14Ss
— Sebastian Araujo (@sebbaaaass) March 17, 2021
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Rite Aid said a thorough investigation is underway following the two vaccine refusal incidents and added in its statement, “In a case where a customer does not have identification, we advise our associates not to turn the customer away.”
