Do you know how to identify fake Covishield, Covaxin, Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccines? Check here

This comes amid the WHO flagging concern over counterfeit/falsified Covishield vaccine being found in the South-East Asia and Africa region.

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New Delhi: After counterfeit Covishield vaccines were detected, the Central government shared a set of parameters with all states and Union territories in order to identify fake COVID-19 vaccines in the country.

This comes amid the World Health Organization (WHO) flagging concern over counterfeit/falsified Covishield vaccine being found in the South-East Asia and Africa region. 

In a letter to additional chief secretaries and principal secretaries (Health) of all states and UTs dated September 2, Additional Secretary Manohar Agnani said, “It was requested that the vaccines need to be carefully authenticated before use...The information on genuine COVID-19 vaccine labels and additional information of the COVID19 vaccines in use is being enclosed for reference of program managers and service providers under the National COVID-19 Vaccination Program.”

"The service providers and monitoring teams for COVID-19 vaccination may be informed about these details and to ensure due diligence towards recognition of counterfeit vaccines," PTI quoted him as saying. 

India is currently administering three COVID-19 vaccines-- Serum Institute of India's Covishield, Bharat Biotech's Covaxin and Russia’s Sputnik V. 

How to know if Covishield is real?

 A genuine Covishield vial bottle will have SII product's label shade in dark green, the brand name with the trademark on the original vaccine and dark green aluminium flip-off seal.

The font of the generic name is un-bold, (Recombinant) is printed at the end of the generic name, overprinted with CGS NOT FOR SALE.  The vaccine manufacturer’s logo is printed on the adhesive side of the label and is at such a unique angle and position that can only be recognised by those who are aware of the exact details.

The lettering is in special white ink to be more clear and readable, the parameters shared by the government said.  

The entire label has been given a special texture honeycomb effect which is visible only at a specific angle. "At strategic locations, the honeycomb design has been altered slightly and certain additional special elements added to the texture design" so that the subtle changes can be easily checked and verified by the experts. 

How to identify real Covaxin?

Covaxin label includes invisible UV helix (DNA-like structure) which is only visible under UV light.  

Micro text hidden in label claim dots, which is written as COVAXIN, green foil effect in X of "Covaxin" and holographic effect on COVAXIN.

How to know if Sputnik vaccine is not fake?

The parameters mentioned that for Sputnik, “imported products are from two different bulk manufacturing sites from Russia and, hence, there are two different labels for both these sites. While all the information and design are the same, only the manufacturer name is different". 

“For all the imported products till now, the English label is only available on the front and back of the carton of 5 ampoule pack, while for all other sides, including the primary label on the ampoule, it is in Russian,” the government added. 

The WHO had recently identified counterfeit versions of the Covishield vaccine, which were seized by authorities in India and Africa between July and August, the UN health agency said in a statement. It had warned that these fake vaccines "pose a serious risk to global public health" and must be removed from circulation. 

(With PTI inputs)