CoWin vax certificate foolproof, has all details, say govt officials

CoWin vax certificate foolproof, has all details, say govt officials

Sushmi.Dey@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:23.09.2021

The Covid vaccination certificate generated through CoWin is “foolproof ” and linked to the level of the vaccination centre with information validated on the system, top government officials said. Responding to reports that the UK has raised doubts over vaccination certificates, even as it reviewed its order not to recognise Covishieldvaccinated persons, officials said India's digital platform has proved itself. In a recent press conference, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan had said the Centre and states have "line data" on those vaccinated, down to names, telephone numbers and addresses.

While reports on the UK's alleged misgivings did the rounds, National Health Authority chief executive R S Sharma, who also heads the CoWin team, said he was unaware of any queries over data. “I am not aware of any concern being raised by any of their (UK) officials over Covid vaccine certificate generated by CoWin. It is an absolutely foolproof certificate with each and every information validated on the system,” Sharma told TOI.

The UK on Wednesday added Covishield to its list of approved Covid jabs for travel to the country. However, confusion persisted as despite recognising Covishield – which accounts for around 88% of the total immunisation in India -- it is not yet on the approved list of 17 countries.

The CoWin system captures the batch number of the vaccine administered to any particular individual, name of the vaccinator, date and time of vaccination along with recipients details. "Few countries have this kind of a robust system," said another senior government official.

In its revised guidelines, UK said formulations of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, including Covishield, would qualify as approved vaccines. It said a traveller must have had a complete course of the approved vaccine at least 14 days before arriving.

The development comes days after India raised strong objections to the non-recognition of Covishield, manufactured by Pune-based Serum Institute of India, by the UK. India called it a “discriminatory policy” that impacted Indian citizens wishing to travel to the UK.

Beneficiaries wait to receive vaccine dose in Patna on Wednesday