A teacher in New York self-vaccinated against COVID-19 to a student: she was arrested

A New York City school teacher with no medical education was arrested for allegedly injecting a student with the Covid vaccine, reports with the BBC.

Police say Laura Russo administered the dose at home despite not having legal permission to inject. She also did not obtain the consent of the boy's parents.

54-year-old Russo was detained on New Year's Eve. And if she is condemned faces four years jail.

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The 17-year-old boy reportedly wanted the vaccine.

Injections can be dangerous if given incorrectly. Physicians and licensed healthcare professionals must ensure that the vaccine is not counterfeit or verify the expiration date. Patients should also be asked about their medical history and their response after injection should be monitored.

It is unclear how Russo got the alleged Covid vaccine and what brand it was. Pfizer-BioNTech is currently the only approved vaccine for Americans under the age of 18.

On footage of the Long Island incident, Russo says to the teenager, "I hope you are okay."

"Here you are. Home vaccine, he says.

The boy's parents called the Nassau police when he returned home and told them what had happened.

“She injected the vaccine,” said Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder. An investigation is finding out how she got the vaccine.

The superintendent of Herrix High School, where Russo worked, said the teacher was "expelled from the class and reassigned pending the results of the investigation."

Russo is charged with illegal occupation. The court hearing was scheduled for January 21.