'For awareness': Centre explains the reason behind putting PM Modi's photo on COVID-19 vaccination certificates

The photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his words in COVID vaccination certificates is to reinforce the message for creating awareness among people to follow COVID-appropriate behaviour even after getting jabs, the Centre informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

A question was raised in the Upper House of Parliament on whether it was necessary and compulsory to print PM Modi's photographs on the COVID-19 vaccination certificate. On this, the Centre in a written reply said that the format of vaccine certificates is being issued from CoWIN are standardised and conform to the evolving WHO guidance on verifiable inoculation certificates.

Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said, "Given the context of the pandemic, its evolving nature and the fact that following of Covid-appropriate behaviours has emerged as one of the most critical measures for preventing the spread of disease."

"The photograph along with the message of the prime minister in the vaccination certificates reinforces the message for creating awareness about the importance of following COVID-19 appropriate behaviour even after vaccination, in the larger public interest," Pawar said, adding that it is the moral and ethical responsibility of the government to ensure such messages for awareness are disseminated to people in the most effective manner,

"The format of vaccination certificate, compliant with WHO norms for vaccination certificates, including the message and presentation about the importance of following Covid-appropriate behaviour even after vaccination, has been decided keeping all these factors in consideration. All states and Union Territories are using CoWIN application for COVID-19 vaccination and vaccination certificates are generated through CoWIN in a standard format," Pawar said.