Colorado vaccine site shut down after two minors lied about their age in a ruse to show loopholes in getting the jab without parental consent

• A vaccine clinic at a Colorado public school was shut down after two students lied about their age and parental consent.
• The students took videos of their ruse and used false ages, names, and a fake parental consent note, according to The Colorado Sun

A vaccine clinic at a Colorado high school was shut down after two students lied about their age in an apparent attempt to discredit the vaccination effort.

Two students from Littleton Public Schools filmed themselves misleading public health staff, lying about their age, and claiming to have parental consent to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

One video that was filmed by Owen McGough, 15, showed him presenting a fake note of parental consent. While he did not end up getting vaccinated, his father, Gregg McGough, told The Colorado Sun on Friday that he sent the video into a right-wing Twitter account to prove that students could get vaccinated without parental consent.

"Schools are where education is supposed to be happening. Schools are not about public health environments, which is what they've become," Gregg McGough told the Sun.

While the vaccine clinic was located at Heritage High School, it was hosted by Tri-County Health and open to the public. No appointments or ID were required. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the vaccine for those age 5 and older. In nearly every state, including Colorado, parental consent for a vaccine is required for those under age 18.

In an interview with Fox News on Thursday, Owen McGough said it was easy to mislead the health officials. One of the students struggled to recall his fake birthday in a video while the other didn't appear to know his fake phone number.

"They really didn't check into the facts, and they weren't suspicious of two kids claiming to be 18," Owen McGough said on Fox News.

Gregg McGough told Insider on Sunday that his problem stems from a decision by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to prevent vaccine clinics from requiring identification from patients who want the shot. It was part of an initiative for "removing barriers to vaccine access" for people who don't have government-issued IDs, according to a November health order from the state health department.

"The CDPHE created an issue that presented a danger to minors," McGough told Insider. "This issue is not about pro-vaccine or anti-vaccine."

On January 25, Littleton Public Schools announced they would no longer be hosting locations for vaccination clinics.

"Please know that LPS does not condone the administration of COVID vaccines or any other vaccines to minors without a parent present to provide consent," the announcement signed by Superintendent Brian Ewert said.