Despite the fact that its system is fundamentally built on technology, the CoWIN platform is not as difficult to use as someone people might make it out to be. There are several simple and easy tips that helped many to conveniently schedule an appointment to receive a dose of the Covid-19 vaccination.
When the vaccines against Covid-19 were first being produced and released, there was a slight hesitancy towards them in India. However, the sudden surge in cases that has characterised the extremely deadly second wave of the coronavirus-driven disease has sent most people rushing for their vaccine shot.
According to the rules, one cannot simply go to the nearest vaccination centre and expect to be given the shot that protects you against the deadliest pandemic in recent times. You have to book a slot in advance on the CoWIN Platform that the central government has provided after registering your name, age, photo-ID, and other relevant details. However, the problem is not of a lack of slots being available. Instead, many people are struggling to just book the slots.
The gap in the demand and supply of vaccines is bothering both Health authorities and the citizens alike. Appointments for both free and paid vaccinations on the dedicated CoWIN portal and the Aarogya Setu application are very hard to get. But many people have managed to succeed, and are using some tools and tricks to do so.
Firstly, Under45.in notifies you on the Telegram messaging app when open slots are available in your district. When visiting this website, use the drop-down menu to fill in your state and city. After this, you will be taken to a relevant Telegram channel. You will then start to get alerts about vaccination slots in your district.
Secondly, you can also use Getjab.in. Much like Under45.in, it sends you notifications about open slots in nearby areas, but through email. Log in to the website and fill in your name, email address, and your district in India. Filling in your phone number is optional. The email alert will inform you about which centre has available slots, the number of slots that are available, and the date of availability. Due to the large influx, your first email may come after a day of registration, so make sure to be patient.
Surprisingly, Paytm has also incorporated a vaccine finder in its mobile application, despite being used for online payments.
Another option is the ‘My Government Corona Helpdesk’ bot, which will give you WhatsApp updates on vaccine centres. However, note that you will not get individual alerts on available vaccination slots.
