New Delhi: As the Indian government prepares to roll out the largest vaccination programme in the world, the question in common people’s mind is what they need to do to get the first jab to protect themselves from novel coronavirus.
The Drug Control General of India (DCGI) has approved Serum Institute of India’s Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and indigenously developed Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for restricted emergency use.
The first phase of vaccination programme will see frontline workers being inoculated, followed by people above 50 years old.
To ensure smooth conduct of this massive vaccination process in India, the Centre has introduced an application called Co-Win (Covid Vaccine Intelligence Work). One has to register through the app to get the vaccine.
The Co-Win app is currently in the pre-product stage, according to an Indian Express report. The government, in fact, launched a challenge 10 days ago, inviting startups and IT experts to strengthen the Co-Win system. IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also announced a cash prize of Rs 40 lakh and Rs 20 lakh, respectively, for the top two contestants.
Co-Win app availability
Right now, the app has the data of health officials who will be first to get the vaccine. Over 75 lakh health officials have registered already.
As for others, there’s no point in downloading the app now, till it’s fully ready and functional.
How to register
Common people cannot register for the COVID-19 vaccine as of now. Once the app is fully ready, it will have four modules — user administrator module, beneficiary registration, vaccination and beneficiary acknowledgment and status updation.
The Co-Win app or website will provide users three options for registration — self-registration, individual registration and bulk upload. The government is yet to reveal the logistics.
Documents needed and cost
To register for the vaccine, candidates will have to upload any of the following photo identities — Driving License, Health Insurance Smart Card issued under the scheme of Ministry of Labour, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) Job Card, Official identity cards issued to MPs/MLAs/MLCs, PAN Card, Passbooks issued by Bank/Post Office, Passport, Pension Document, Service Identity Card issued to employees by Central/ State Government / Public Limited Companies, Voter ID.
The vaccine will come free of cost for frontline workers.
How much the common people will have to pay for one shot of SII’s vaccine or the Covaxin is yet to be made public.
