New Delhi: Those who participated in the clinical trials of Covishield and Covaxin, and actually got both vaccine doses can now access their certificates digitally.
The Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare announced on Monday that 11,349 people have been issued their digital vaccination certificates through Co-WIN platform. The documents can be downloaded through Co-WIN, Aarogya Setu, Digilocker and UMANG apps.
“Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Serum Institute of India (SII) conducted phase 2/3 bridging studies of Covishield from August 2020. Also, phase 3 clinical efficacy trials for Covaxin were conducted by Bharat Biotech International Limited from November 2020. The Union health ministry received several requests from the trial participants for digital vaccination certificates through Co-WIN,” the ministry said a statement.
“It was decided that the vaccination certificates may be issued to participants who were administered the vaccines during these trials, after the trials were unblinded. ICMR was designated as the nodal agency to collect vaccination data for such participants,” the statement further read.
Union Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya took to Twitter to thank clinical trial participants. “The nation thanks them for their incredible commitment and contribution to Covid-19 vaccine research and treatment,” Mandaviya tweeted.
India started its nationwide vaccination drive on January 16 this year with Astrazeneca-developed and Serum Institute-manufactured Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, which were the first vaccines to be granted Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) in the country. Subsequently, four more vaccines were approved.
