Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : January 14, 2021 11:53 AM IST
Fake Covid-19 vaccines reportedly offered for sale on the dark net with price tags of up to $1,000 for a dose.
As Covid-19 vaccination begins in several countries, health regulators are warning of the danger of fake vaccines. As the demand for coronavirus vaccines rises, there are reports of fake coronavirus vaccines being offered on the internet.
Warning its people against fake Covid-19 vaccines, Switzerland's health regulator Swissmedic explained that vaccines are solutions that need to be stored and transported in an unbroken cold chain, therefore, such products cannot be sold online.
Anyone wishing to be vaccinated should consult their doctor and be vaccinated at an official vaccination point, it noted in a statement released on Tuesday, according to Xinhua news agency.
Check Point Software security researchers have also found counterfeit coronavirus vaccines being offered for sale on the dark net or deep web with price tags of up to $1,000 for a dose, as reported by The Times of Israel. In early December, when COVID-19 vaccines became officially available worldwide, illicit vaccines were offered for sale with prices starting at around $250. Now, as multiple vaccines are being approved and rolled out globally, the number of advertisements for vaccines "has exploded, and the asking prices have doubled or even quadrupled. Now, the researchers found that the vendors on the dark net were asking for $500 or even $1,000 for an unspecified dose.
In Britain too, the National Crime Agency (NCA) have reported that scammers were offering fake Covid-19 vaccines to elderly and vulnerable people in return for payment and has urged the public to be vigilant.
The first phase of nationwide covid-19 vaccination drive is slated to begin in India from January 16. So far, only two vaccines, Covishield and Covaxin, have been approved for emergency use in the country. For the first round of vaccination, the Centre has procured 110 lakh (1.1 crore) doses of Covishield vaccine from the Serum Institute of India at a cost of Rs 200 per dose and 55 lakh doses of Covaxin vaccine from Bharat Biotech at Rs 206 per dose.
The vaccines are being distributed to all the states and Union Territories. The Centre plans to vaccinate healthcare and frontline workers in the first round.
In India, a digital platform called CoWIN (COVID Vaccine Intelligence Network) will be used for COVID-19 vaccination. This app will monitor the distribution of the vaccine and immunisation across the nation. To get the authorized vaccines, people would be required to download the app and register themselves first. For registration, you will need to upload a photo identity, which can be an Aadhar Card, Driving License, PAN Card, and others.
However, the official CoWIN app hasn't gone live on Google play store or any other App store yet. So, beware of fake apps on Google Play Store. Don't download such apps or provide them access to your personal data.
At present, only officials have access to the official app and has the data of health officials who are the first in line to get the vaccine. Next, registration of people over 50 years of age due to their higher susceptibility to the virus will follow. Common people cannot register for COVID-19 vaccination yet.
The CoWIN app is expected to be launched on January 16, the same day when India begins the COVID-19 immunization process.
