Rite Aid has officially apologized after initially denying two illegal aliens a COVID vaccine because they lacked the proper documentation.
While millions of elderly and high-risk U.S. citizens, veterans, and active duty military members wait to get the shot that’s being rolled out at a snail’s pace across many parts of the country, the pharmacy chain is now backtracking after media outlets reported that two of their Southern California stores rejected two illegal aliens’ requests for a vaccine because neither of them could provide a valid U.S. ID or social security card as proof that they qualified per local regulations.
In one case, an illegal alien was reportedly turned away after presenting an ID from a foreign country. In a separate incident, another was told she couldn’t get the shot after she was unable to show a social security card, according to her son.
The drug store chain is now apologizing, calling it a “mistake” that both undocumented people were denied the shot that many taxpaying citizens have yet to receive.
"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 told the Washington Examiner.
Rite Aid said they’re looking into both incidents and have told their employees that “[i]n a case where a customer does not have identification, we advise our associates not to turn the customer away."