Centre Warns States About Fake Vaccines, Explains How To Identify

The World Health Organization has issued an alert over the counterfeit versions of coronavirus vaccines.

With reports of counterfeit versions of Covishield vaccines circulating in the international market, a concern flagged by even the World Health Organization, the Centre on Saturday shared a list of parameters to identify the authenticity of the Covid vaccines being used in the country. The parameters will help identify whether the vaccine is fake or genuine, the Health Ministry said in a letter written to the states, adding that it was prepared with information from the companies manufacturing Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik V - the three vaccines currently being used in the Indian market. The note sent to the states has details on the label, colour and other details used by the vaccine manufacturer. Various reports have emerged recently claiming that counterfeit versions of Covishield, India's primary anti-COVID-19 vaccine, had been seized in Southeast Asia and Africa. Some of the counterfeit versions are also being sold across the country, media reports have claimed.