Centre issues fresh parameters to spot fake COVID-19 vaccines, Check here

In September, The Union Health Ministry conferred a list of restraints with the states and Union territories to spot the original models of Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik V. These three vaccine variants are being used across India to suffice the mass inoculation drive against the virus.

Recently, the Centre has issued fresh guidelines over the identification of legitimate COVID-19 vaccines in India and reject the fake ones. Amidst alerts of the World Health Organisation (WHO) over the alleged dispatch of counterfeit doses of Covishield vaccine across the Southeast Asia and Africa regions, the Centre has listed some prudent rules to avoid the counterfeiting list of Covishield COVID-19 vaccines.

In September, The Union Health Ministry conferred a list of restraints with the states and Union territories to spot the original models of Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik V. These three vaccine variants are being used across India to suffice the mass inoculation drive against the virus.

Advertisement

These parameters arrive after a month when Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that, “The government is probing the claims of duplicate Covishield vaccines being allegedly sold by criminal elements.” He further averred, “It has been claimed that duplicate versions of the Covishield vaccine were sold in the country. The Indian government is probing this claim and will take action if it found any substance to the allegations.”

 

Here are the guidelines to identify the authenticity of Covishield:

1. Colour: The label colour in the vial will be dark green, according to the sanctioned artwork whereas the aluminium flips off seal will be tinted with dark green.

2. Brand name: Attached with a trademark on the vaccine

3. Lettering: A special white ink is used to mentioning details on the vial to make it lucid and coherent. The idea is to print the solid colour by keeping the white lettering on the reverse end. An un-bold font is used here.

4. Symbol: The SII logo is inscribed at a unique position that can be spotted by selective people who possess in-depth knowledge about the intricate details

5. Body: The label has been designed in an exclusive honeycomb texture, which can be viewed at a particular angle.

Identification marks to ascertain the authenticity of Covaxin:

  1. Invisible UV helix used in the label design, only visible under UV light
  2. Dots inscribed in the form of Micro Text in the label
  3. The holographic texture used to wrap the vial.

Parameters to check the authenticity of Sputnik V:

  1. Sputnik V possesses two different labels asper its import status from Russia, however, the details and layout are the same, only the manufacturing status of the vaccine share a different name.
  2. The already imported products contain a label print on the rear and front of the carton of 5 ampoules set in English while the major is printed in Russian.