Who is Laura Russo? Herricks High School Biology teacher arrested for 'illegally' injecting teen with COVID vaccine in viral video

Herricks High School teacher Laura Russo arrested for administering J&J COVID vaccine to a minor (Image via Getty Images and Herricks High School/Facebook)
Herricks High School teacher Laura Russo arrested for administering J&J COVID vaccine to a minor (Image via Getty Images and Herricks High School/Facebook)

Laura Russo, a biology teacher from Herricks High School, was recently arrested for injecting a 17-year-old with the COVID-19 vaccine without the consent of his parents. She reportedly administered a J&J vaccine to the teenager, which is only recommended for adult Americans.

A video documenting the moment also went viral on social media, leaving several people disappointed. In the footage, the teacher can be seen smiling while cleaning the boy’s skin before putting the needle on his arm.

The teenager could also be heard saying, “There you go, at-home vaccine” in the video. The incident reportedly took place on New Year’s Eve when the minor came to visit Laura’s son at their home.

Authorities were informed about the situation after the teenager told his mother about his vaccination. Laura Russo was arrested at her residence in Sea Cliff, Nassau County.


Laura Russo is set to appear in court on January 21, 2022

Laura Russo's official teacher's page (Image via Herricks High School)
Laura Russo's official teacher's page (Image via Herricks High School)

Laura Russo is a Herricks High School biology teacher, who was recently arrested for “illegally” administering a Johnson&Johnson COVID-19 vaccine on a 17-year-old boy. She was charged with unauthorized practice of a profession under New York State Education Law.

The Nassau County Police Department confirmed that the educator had no authorization or professional practice to administer a vaccine on a minor without parental consent:

“The mother had not given permission or authority to have her son injected with a Covid vaccine and called police. 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.”
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Dr. Aaron Glatt from Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital also mentioned that the act was illegal in nature:

"Besides being illegal, it's just not a smart thing to do. An authorized, licensed professional should be providing vaccines to know how to give them properly to make sure if there's a complication that can be dealt with immediately and very efficiently."

Meanwhile, Herricks Public Schools superintendent Fino Celano said the incident did not take place inside the school premises. The district also shared that Laura Russo was initially removed from her duties but reassigned to the classroom ahead of the outcome of the ongoing investigation:

“The individual in question is a district employee who has been removed from the classroom and reassigned pending the outcome of the investigation.”
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According to her online bio, Laura is a “lifelong Long Island resident” and loves her profession as a teacher. She reportedly teaches immunity, genetics, biochemistry, evolution, and ecology.

The educator is married to New York realtor John Russo and is a proud mother to six children. She is also a member of the Sea Cliff Civic Association, a group that helps organize community events in the village 25 miles east of Manhattan.

Following her arrest, Laura Russo was released on a desk appearance ticket and is set to appear in court on January 21, 2022. Officials are currently investigating how the teacher accessed a vial of authentic COVID-19 vaccine despite having no medical connections.

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Edited by Prem Deshpande
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