German nurse accused of swapping out COVID-19 vaccines for saline solution

Thousands of people in Germany have been called to check in for a vaccine re-do after a nurse was believed to have swapped out the COVID-19 jab for a saline solution.

German authorities said more than 8000 people had been asked to get a repeat Pfizer vaccination.

The nurse allegedly admitted in April to injecting six people with the saline to cover up her dropping a vial of the vaccine, the BBC reported.

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However, authorities now believe the 40-year-old nurse had injected many more people with the salt solution.

The saline is harmless in itself, but the lack of a proper vaccine would compromise peoples' defences against COVID-19.

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German authorities claimed the nurse had been sharing "corona-critical information" on social media.

Many of those who have been affected are in the high-risk over-70s age group.

Police are still investigating and no charges have been laid.

The nurse's lawyers have rejected any assertion that her actions were politically motivated, and have also questioned reports about the volume of the saline injections.