(CNN) The Wisconsin hospital pharmacist who in December allegedly removed 57 vials of Covid-19 vaccine from cold storage because he believed the vaccine could harm people has signed a plea agreement "acknowledging that he was guilty" of trying to make the vaccine ineffective, the Department of Justice said. Brandenburg removed a storage container with 57 vials, containing more than 500 doses of the Moderna vaccine, at the Aurora Medical Center in Grafton on December 24 and 25, according to police. The vaccine must be kept cold to remain effective. "Tampering with vaccine doses in the midst of a global health crisis calls for a strong response, as reflected by the serious charges the United States has brought today," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton of the Department of Justice's Civil Division. CNN has reached out to an attorney for Brandenburg for comment.

Source: CNN January 27, 2021 03:54 UTC