German doctor gets prison sentence for selling phony pandemic mask exemptions
A German doctor was sentenced to prison after issuing more than 4,000 mask exemptions illegally during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The doc, a woman whose name was not released, was convicted of “issuing incorrect health certificates” to people without meeting or examining them.
She was sentenced to two years and nine months in jail, given a three-year work ban and fined more than $29,500 — the amount she received for doling out the exemptions. The doctor’s lawyer told German media there would be an appeal.
“The process is more reminiscent of a sale of certificates than a medical procedure,” the regional court in Weinheim, located about 330 miles southwest of Berlin, said in a statement.
The doctor’s assistant was accused of aiding and abetting the scheme and fined $2,850, but avoided jail time.
The doctor argued unsuccessfully during the trial that masks are harmful to people’s health. During the height of the pandemic, Germany had some of the strictest mask rules in the world, with medical-grade surgical masks required in public places and non-maskers subject to fines.
Supporters gathered outside the court to protest the verdict.
While Germany lifted most of its pandemic restrictions for indoor areas last year, masks are still required in settings including some public transportation, doctors’ offices and hospitals and nursing homes.
With News Wire Services
