In a bid to spread awareness about COVID-19 vaccinations in a district in India's Madhya Pradesh state, police have started publicly shaming individuals by putting stickers on their body if they haven't been vaccinated.
The police in Niwari District have settled on this method of warning everyone around, while they carry out their roadside checks.
Those, who have not been vaccinated are made to wear stickers with the sign of a skull on and the message which reads "Mujhse Dur Rahein, Maine Abhi Tak Corona Ka Tika Nahi Lagwaya” (Stay away from me, I haven’t been vaccinated against COVID-19 yet.)
The individuals are also made to read the message aloud and pledge that they will get vaccinated within two days.
Officials are also rewarding those who have been vaccinated by giving them an Indian tricolour badge and a message in the Hindi language which reads: "I am a true patriot because I have been vaccinated."
According to local media reports, officials said such campaigns are only symbolic and they are doing it to create public awareness about the importance of getting vaccinated.
As of 9 June in Niwari, only 257 people aged above 45, and 895 aged between 18 and 44 had been vaccinated.
Niwari has recorded 3,673 cases of COVID-19 and 47 deaths.
So far, only 4.2 percent of the total Indian population in the 18 to 44 age group have been vaccinated with at least one dose of the vaccine and more than 60 percent of the total population above the age of 45 have been covered under the vaccination drive.
