Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Post COVID-19 Vaccine Certificate On Social Media

In India, the third phase of the vaccination drive was kickstarted on May 1, 2021 for people aged between 18 and 44 years. Since then, the chances of getting a jab to keep oneself protected from the infection are quite bleak. However, those who have taken the first dose of the vaccination can download the COVID-19 vaccine certificate for future reference.

Many people are sharing their COVID-19 vaccine certificate on social media and sharing it with their family and friends on WhatsApp. Now, the government of India has issued a warning asking people not to share their COVID-19 vaccine certificates on social media.

What Is COVID-19 Vaccine Certificate?

If you have taken the first dose or both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, then you need to download the COVID-19 vaccine certificate. Once you get the vaccine, the respective vaccination center will provide you with a printed copy of the COVID-19 vaccine certificate. This certificate will have a QR code that has to be scanned to get the e-copy of the same. Besides this, you can also download the COVID-19 vaccine certificate from the CoWIN portal or the Aarogya Setu app.

This certificate is proof that you have taken the vaccination. Also, it is evidence that the possibility of you getting infected by the COVID-19 virus is very less. In the coming days or weeks, once the situation eases to some extent, the COVID-19 vaccine certificate will of great help when you travel to a different state or country. We have already seen how to download the COVID-19 vaccine certificate.

Do Not Share COVID-19 Vaccine Certificate

The Ministry of Home Affairs has advised people from the Twitter handle of Cyber Dost account, which is the cyber safety and cybersecurity awareness handle. It warns people against sharing their COVID-19 vaccine certificates. It notes that the vaccination certificate contains personal details including name, last four digits of Aadhaar number, and vaccination center. Also, it details when you have to take the second dose. These details could be misused by cyber fraudsters and you might face dire consequences of the same.

Having said that, it is important to keep our personal details confidential and refrain from sharing the COVID-19 vaccine certificate on social media and elsewhere.