Fake RT-PCR report: why verification of QR code cannot be trusted – News2IN
Gadgets

Fake RT-PCR report: why verification of QR code cannot be trusted

Recently, more than 100 tourists were arrested with fake RT-PCR test reports in Uttarakhand while news reports revealed that many were rejected in Kerala, Mumbai and other regions to bring false covid test reports.
With some countries upholding the strict RT-PCR test requirements to enter, citizens of countries throughout the country are now done to edit the old RT-PCR test report or create a completely new laptop.
To reduce false RT-PCR reports, the government has recently made it mandatory that all test reports must be accompanied by a QR code so that the test results can be electronically verified.
But with countless free PDF editors and generator QR codes available online, false reports can be made in minutes.
And if someone doesn’t know how to make it, any roadside cyber cafe can help make one for Rs 200.
Why verification of QR code is the QR Failinga code can only be successful to validate the test results if there is a centralized mechanism to store all test reports in the first place.
This is what happens with a vaccine certificate.
The QR code placed on a vaccine certificate can be easily verified and the authenticity of the certificate can be checked by only visiting the website “https://verify.cowin.gov.in”.
This website reveals whether the original vaccine certificate or not.
On the other hand, there is no centralized website to check the authenticity of the RT-PCR test.
In most RT-PCR test results, if you scan the QR code in the report, it only opens a digital copy of the same report.
Just opening a digital PDF copy of the physical paper report on the web URL does not verify the authenticity of the RT-PCR report at all.
You can find many QR code generators that can do the same thing in minutes.
What is needed is that the QR code is provided and linked to the Indian Medical Research Council server (ICMR).
Also, there must be a website for end users also to check the authenticity of their tests.
Another aspect that needs to be considered is that very few officials at the airport actually scan QR codes on RT-PCR test reports.
This is because airport staff or airport authorities need to use their own cellphones or smartphones that have a reliable internet connection to scan.
It’s hard to see the authenticity of PDF reports just by looking at it.
Not forgetting, with the QR code generator, even scanning the QR code in the test report, it won’t help much.
The verification system has a gap and some people seem to have known.
To save money, they use PDFs files from RT-PCR tests without consideration for this disease.
For notes, producing false RT-PCR reports are crimes that can be punished.
Can help scan ID SRF detects fake RT-PCR reports the only way to create a centralized website to check the authenticity of the RT-PCR test report is to rely on the specimen referral ID (SRF).
Unique SRF ID and fed to the ICMR server by each test laboratory throughout the country.
Covid test report without the SRF ID is invalid.
All testing laboratories approved ICMR must provide an SRF ID in the report.
This ID reveals person personal details along with the collection of samples and reporting and time dates.
There is no way to damage the SRF ID, because this ID is only generated when the test is actually taken.
This is because this SRF ID is that patients get test results on their registered telephone numbers.
Now, to make the supervision of the RT-PCR test results more effectively, verifying the SRF ID must be mandatory and for that there must be a public website first.
The Head of the National Health Authority of Sharma Hospital recently said that RT-PCR test reports will be associated with the Cowin system in the near future.
Now, this must be removed immediately after the SRF ID will be associated with the Cowin and ICMR platform and it will be possible to easily verify whether someone really takes the RT-PCR test by just entering the telephone number.

About the author

news2in