The Centre had received several requests from trial participants for vaccination e-certificates.
Over 11,300 adults who participated in the clinical trials of Covishield and Covaxin, the two vaccines first deployed by India in its battle against the Covid pandemic, have received their digital vaccination certificates through the Co-WIN platform, the government said today.
The participants can download them through the Co-WIN portal, besides from the Aarogya Setu, Digilocker, and UMANG apps, a Press Information Bureau release has said.
"The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had received several requests from the trial participants for digital vaccination certificates through Co-WIN," the release said.
"It was decided that vaccination certificates may be issued to such participants who were administered the vaccines during these trials/studies, after the trials/studies were unblinded."
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had provided the data for 11,349 such persons, it said. The ministry had designated the medical body the nodal agency to collect the information for such participants.
ICMR had, in partnership with Serum Institute of India, conducted phase II/III bridging studies of Covishield from August 2020. The vaccine was developed by pharma giant AstraZeneca in association with researchers at the University of Oxford.
Phase III efficacy clinical trials for Covaxin, developed by ICMR in association with the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International, was conducted from November 2020.
Referring to the issuance of vaccination e-certificates, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya today commended the contribution of the participants. "The nation thanks them for their incredible commitment & contribution to COVID-19 vaccine research & treatment," he tweeted.
India launched its nationwide Covid vaccination drive in January this year, deploying Covishield and Covaxin. The country's cumulative coverage has by now exceeded the 58-crore landmark, the ministry said yesterday.
"With the administration of 52,23,612 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has surpassed the cumulative figure of 58.14 crore (58,14,89,377) as per provisional reports. This has been achieved through 64,39,411 sessions," a ministry release said.