The sign outside of the GOP’s Doylestown office. File photo.
Most people want to get a COVID-19 vaccination appointment and the wait to get inoculated has caused anxiety for many. Nearly all vaccine appointments are being scheduled by phone and email.
That’s why a call from a number purporting to be Johnson & Johnson, who just had their single-dose COVID-19 vaccine authorized for use, caught the attention of some locals.
Last Friday, people from across the county received a call from 215-273-8522, which showed the caller ID of pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson. When the call was answered, the robocall asked them to take part in ballot petition collection events at the Bucks County Republican Committee office in Doylestown Borough.
The situation quickly made its way to social media accounts pointing out what happened.
“Just an absolutely disgraceful display by the @BucksGOP. Using (Johnson & Johnson’s) name following vaccine approval to trick voters for political benefit,” user ResistInBux tweeted.
This news organization confirmed the call with social media posters and Republicans who received a ring from the robocall featuring the voice of Bucks County Republican Committee Chairperson Pat Poprik.
The committee said in a statement that the call was facilitated through a third-party vendor and one of the numbers they cycled through previously belonged to Johnson & Johnson.
LevittownNow.com was unable to independently confirm 215-273-8522 belonged to Johnson & Johnson, but a similar number is linked to one of the company’s facilities in Montgomery County. The company’s media relations department did not respond to a request for comment.
“It appears that one phone number, that was used for a limited number of households, previously belonged to Johnson & Johnson, and retains its registration in the caller ID database,” said Poprik in a statement.
“We share the frustration of Bucks County families resulting from the uncertain and delayed statewide vaccine rollout. We deeply apologize for any confusion caused by this unintended technological error.”
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