Thane: Health workers administer doses of COVID-19 vaccine to women during a special vaccination camp at the District Nursing Training Immunization Center, in Thane, on Sunday, August 22, 2021. (PTI photo)
The government has shared a set of standards with all states and union territories to identify any fake COVID-19 vaccines. This comes amid the backdrop of concerns over fake/spurious COVID-19 vaccine being identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the WHO’s South-East Asia and Africa region.
As of now, Serum Institute of India’s Covishield, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Russian Vaccine Sputnik V are being administered to eligible beneficiaries under the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination campaign in the country.
But, the question is: How will you be able to spot a fake vaccine?
In a letter dated September 2, Additional Secretary Manohar Agnani wrote to the Additional Chief Secretaries and Principal Secretaries (Health) of all states and union territories about the actual COVID-19 vaccine label and additional information to ensure that the country No fake vaccines are given in. .
“It was requested that vaccines need to be carefully certified before use … the actual COVID-19 vaccine label and additional information on the COVID19 vaccines in use for reference to program managers and service providers under the National COVID Attached is the -19 vaccination schedule. Service providers and surveillance teams for COVID-19 vaccination may be informed of these details and to ensure due diligence for identification of spurious vaccines,” he wrote .
coveshield
A genuine Covishield vial bottle will contain parameters such as the label shade of the SII product in dark green, the brand name with the trademark mentioned on the original vaccine, and dark green aluminum flip-off seal. The generic name font is un-bold, (recombinant) printed at the end of the generic name, overprinted with CGS NOT FOR SALE. The SII logo is printed on the adhesive side of the label and at a unique angle and position that can only be recognized by a select few who are aware of precise details. The letters are printed in special white ink to make them more clear and readable. By parameters, the entire label is given a special textured honeycomb effect that is visible only at a specific angle. At strategic locations, the design of the honeycomb has been slightly changed and some extra special elements have been added to the texture design such that it is not visible to the layman, but those who are aware of the subtle changes can easily see the label and the vial. Can check and verify authenticity.
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covaxin
Anti-counterfeiting features in the Covaxin label include the invisible UV helix (DNA-like structure) that is visible only under UV light, the micro text hidden in the label claim dots, written as COVAXIN, as “Covaxin”. Green foil effect in X. and the holographic effect on COVAXIN.
Artificial satellite
For Sputnik, the imported products are from two different wholesale manufacturing sites from Russia and, therefore, there are two different labels for these two sites. While all the information and design are the same, only the manufacturer’s name is different.
So far for all imported products, the English label is available only on the front and back of the carton of 5 ampoule packs, while for all other sides, including the primary label on the ampoule, it is in Russian.
Read more: COVID: Over 66.89 crore vaccine doses provided to states, UTs: Center
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