A Long Island biology teacher has been placed on leave after video footage emerged of her jabbing her son's 17-year-old friend with a Covid-19 vaccine at her home without his parent's permission.
The video, which started circulating on Monday, shows Laura Parker Russo, 54, cleaning the unidentified teen's skin as she prepared to administer a dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine into his right arm.
"There you go, at-home vaccine,' the teen can be heard saying as he sits in a chair while Russo wipes his arm. The video is captioned with "never been so uncomfy in his life." Watch the clip below:
The teacher stuck the J&J vaccine, which is only approved for Americans 18 years or older, into the boy's arm on New Year's Eve, police said. According to officials, the teenager asked for the vaccine because his mother allegedly didn't want to have him vaccinated against Covid. It is not yet known how Russo obtained the vaccine without any medical qualifications and cops are now investigating the matter.
Russo Arrested, Charged with Unauthorized Practice of a Profession
Russo, a Herricks High School biology teacher according to an online profile, was arrested and charged after the teen returned home and told his mother about the jab, according to the Nassau County Police Department.
"The mother had not given permission or authority to have her son injected with a Covid vaccine and called police," a department press release said. "After an investigation was conducted, it was discovered that Laura Parker Russo is not a medical professional or authorized to administer vaccines and was placed under arrest without incident."
The married mother-of-six was charged under state education law with unauthorized practice of a profession under New York State Education Law and released on a desk appearance ticket. She is set to appear in court later this month.
Herricks Public Schools superintendent Fino Celano also said in a statement that Russo has been removed from the classroom and reassigned as the case is investigated.
