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A 'loophole' in a scheduling system allowed thousands of people in Michigan to cut in front of others in order to schedule COVID-19 vaccinations.

Officials at Beaumont Health Systems say that on Sunday (1/31), a user discovered a vulnerability in their online scheduling system that allowed the user to bypass the state's priority screening system. The user then shared the unauthorized pathway online, which allowed others to take advantage of the loophole as well.

Newsweek reports that 2,700 people were able to 'cut in line' before the vulnerability was discovered and corrected. However, some may have scheduled appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations without knowing that they were taking advantage of an unauthorized portal.

Michigan currently prioritizes people who are at severe risk for illness related to coronavirus and those directly involved with healthcare systems to receive the vaccinations. The state's elderly population as well as those in law enforcement and education have early opportunities for shots too.

Beaumont officials had its IT department correct the vulnerability, and the appointments made via the unauthorized pathway have since been canceled.

"These appointments violate the ethical distribution framework Beaumont created based upon the State of Michigan's mandatory vaccine guidelines," Beaumont Health senior vice president & chief information officer Hans Keil said in a statement.

 

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