Do not share your Covid-19 vaccination certificate on social media! Here’s why…

In such a time of grief when the pandemic is creating havoc in the country, it can be a matter of joy to share the Covid-19 vaccination certificate on social media. Also, it spreads awareness to get vaccinated. However, one should not share the same as it contains some crucial information that should not be posted on social media.

The government has issued an advisory against posting vaccination certificates on social media because they carry important details which are private to the certificate holder and should not be revealed to everyone.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has posted the warning on its cyber safety and cybersecurity awareness Twitter handle Cyber Dost.

The government said, “Beware of sharing #vaccination certificate on social media.” It also shared a photo of pointers on why it is not safe to share the certificate on social media.

The post stated, “Covid-19 vaccination certificate contains your name and other personal details. Avoid sharing your vaccination certificate on social media platforms as it may be misused by cyber fraudsters to defraud you. Be aware and be cyber safe.”

When the beneficiary receives his/her first dose of vaccine, the government issues the certificate that contains the beneficiary’s name, the last four digits of their identity card, name of the vaccine they have received, time and date of vaccination, name of the vaccination center, and the next date of vaccination. This is a provisional certificate. The beneficiary receives the final certificate after getting jabbed with both doses.

The vaccination certificates will hold even more importance in the future as countries such as China, Japan, and the European Union will permit travelers to use these vaccination certificates so that they could prove that they have been vaccinated and thus, they can avoid quarantine when they reach their destinations.