FACT-Check: Did Karnataka Medical Officials Fake Covid Vaccination? Know The Truth Of Viral Video

A video in which a man and a woman are seen posing for vaccination pictures is circulating on social media with the claim that officials in Karnataka’s Tumkur are faking it for the cameras while pretending to take Covid-19 vaccines.

Screengrab of the viral video

Covid Vaccination In Karnaataka:  After India launched the world's largest vaccination drive on January 16, a video went viral on social media and WhatsApp in which the District Health Officer (DHO) of Tumkur, Karnataka, and Principal of Government Nursing College, Tumkur are seen posing in front of a camera taking Covid-19 vaccination shot.

 The 43-second video also shows a nurse posing as if she’s administering an injection to the duo. Netizens raised a lot of questions demanding an explanation from the Karnataka government and the central government regarding the alleged fake vaccination video. 

“In Tumkur District officials fake it before the camera, pretending to take Covid Vaccine, why this fake promotion? Where there is BJP there is Fraud,” reads one such caption along with the video.

The Congress leaders also slammed the state government and some sought an answer from Prime Minister Narendra Modi raising serious doubts over the vaccination process.

Congress leader Salman Nizami wrote, " Would the government care to clarify this? Is this fake immunization or photo op or something that we don’t understand? Dear Modi ji — kindly throw some gyaan...?

After excessive trolling and questioning on social media, Karnataka Health Department issued a clarification video where Dr Rajni explained what actually happened when the video was shot.

Principal Rajani said, "I am being trolled on social media and I want to clarify that I took the vaccine on January 16 itself. My name was registered on the portal. My office was a vaccination site so I was doing arrangements for receiving doctors. After taking the vaccine, when I was getting up then some media people visited the vaccination room and asked for photos. So I again sat". She said that while she was giving a pose, some miscreants clicked the photo and shared it on social media.

Hence, the viral video was taken when they were asked to just pose for the media and they have taken the vaccination.