Prime Minister Narendra Modi's image and statement on vaccination certificatesis are aimed at creating awareness about following Covid-19 protocol even after vaccination, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar explained in Parliament on Tuesday.
Congress Rajya Sabha MP and former journalist Kumar Ketkar had asked if it is essential and required to publish photos of the prime minister on the Covid-19 vaccination certificates. Ketkar also asked about the reason behind the decision and who had made it mandatory.
Responing to Ketkar's question, MoS Health explained that the image, together with the PM's message, reinforces the idea of raising awareness about the necessity of following Covid-19 proper guidelines even after immunisation, "in the broader public good."
Also Read | Govt aims to pass more bills in RS amid opposition protests
She went on to say that it is the government's "moral and ethical obligation" to guarantee that such vital messages are conveyed to people "in the most effective way possible." In her response, the minister further emphasised that the forms of COVID-19 vaccination certificates provided to Co-WIN vaccinated recipients are standardised and comply to developing WHO recommendations on verifiable vaccination certificates.
CoWin is an acronym that stands for Covid Vaccine Intelligent Work. The platform was announced by the union government in January 2021, as part of the country's vaccination campaign. A person is required to register him/her on the CoWin application or website to select their desired date , time and venue for getting vaccinated.
After succesfull getting a dose of vaccination, a person's vaccination certificate is automatically uploaded on his/her CoWin account from where it can be down loaded. The vaccination certificate contains all the necessary information regarding the date of first dose of vaccination and the duration after which the person will become eligible for the second dose.
Also Read | CJI: Threat to human rights highest in police stations, even privileged not spared
