TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taipei City Government announced Saturday (June 19) it was fining two clinics NT$2 million (US$72,000) each for distributing vaccines to individuals who were ineligible since they did not belong to priority groups.

The two clinics, part of the Good Liver Group, had obtained 115 vials, containing 10 doses each, on June 7-8, supposedly to inoculate staff. However, reports emerged that celebrities and business people had received the vaccines instead.

An investigation is still continuing into the background of the people inoculated by the Dianthus Medical Group clinics. Meanwhile, the Republic Polyclinic did use its vaccines for medical personnel, CNA reported.

Dianthus reportedly obtained 85 vaccine vials beginning on May 31 through the intervention of an elected politician. When asked about the individual's identity at Saturday’s news conference, Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said the name written on the report was Kao Chia-yu (高嘉瑜), a well-known legislator from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Kao later denied she had pressured the city’s top health official, Huang Shier-chieg (黃世傑), into giving the vaccines to Dianthus. She had merely relayed a message from the clinic about its need for COVID-19 shots to the city government, she said.