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.
The World Health Organisation has issued an alert over the counterfeit versions of coronavirus vaccines.
The government has also launched an inquiry based on these reports.
"It has been claimed that duplicate versions of 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," Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had said last month.
Mr Mandaviya, who was recently elevated as health minister, also said that three more vaccines for adults would be available in India soon.
"At present, three vaccines are available in India - Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik. In the coming days, three more vaccines would arrive, including one from Zydus Cadila. The other two will be from Genova and Biological Evans," he said.
Since the start of the vaccination drive in January, the government has administered vaccine doses to 68 crore beneficiaries, with more than 62.25 lakh vaccine doses being administered on Saturday. India has been running the largest vaccination drive against COVID-19 since January 16 this year.
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