COVID-19 vaccine: How to register on Co-WIN portal and who is eligible? Everything answered

The country is gearing up for another largest coronavirus vaccination drive for everyone who is above 45 and 60. Here is everything you need to know.

Amid a sudden surge in the numbers of active COVID-19 cases, the country is gearing up to inoculate people above 60 years of age and those over 45 with comorbidities against COVID-19 from March 1. But, there are several questions that are lingering in the minds of the common people - who are eligible for the vaccine, how to register for the vaccine, etc. In this article, you will get to know everything about the upcoming vaccine program.

Who Is Eligible For The Vaccine?

The government on Wednesday said that everyone above 60 years of age and those over 45 years with comorbidities will be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine from March 1 for free at government facilities and for a charge at a number of private hospitals.

How To Register For The Vaccine?

According to the official sources, all the COVID-19 vaccine beneficiaries would be able to register themselves on the Co-WIN platform from Monday itself. There will also be a walk-in provision for the beneficiaries to get themselves registered at the session sites.

"The eligible beneficiaries would be able to register themselves on the Co-WIN platform from March 1 itself. There will also be a walk-in provision for the beneficiaries to get themselves registered at a nearby session site to get vaccinated," R S Sharma, Chairman of the Empowered Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Administration, said.

What Is The Complete Registration Process?

According to the official sources, the vaccine beneficiary will have to download the new and updated version of the Co-WIN app and will have to keep the GPS enabled. Once inside the app, the beneficiary will be asked to register him/herself with a mobile number. After this, an OTP will be sent to the beneficiary and thus the account will get created.

The beneficiary can also choose the inoculation session site both at the government and private.

What If Someone Is Not Able To Understand The Tech Process?

There is no need to be worried if you are not able to understand the registration process at the Co-WIN platform. The official sources have confirmed that there will be volunteers to help those opting for walk-in registration with the process if they are not tech-savvy.

Co-WIN, a digital platform, was created for real-time monitoring of COVID-19 vaccine delivery.

One will also have the option to get inoculated in a state different from his or her home state.

What Documents Are Required For COVID-19 Registration?

People aged above 45 years will have to upload a medical certificate mentioning their comorbid conditions. The government is yet to specify the conditions that would be included in the over-45 age group with comorbidities.

"Co-WIN will be able to take registrations and appointments from multiple applications, including Aarogya Setu or any other application such as a common service app," Sharma said.

How Much Do You Have To Pay For The COVID-19 Vaccine?

Those who want to get vaccinated at private hospitals will have to pay and the amount will be decided by the health ministry within the next three-four days as it is in discussions with the vaccine manufacturers as well as the hospitals.

However, all those who want to get vaccinated at the government's hospitals will not have to pay anything.

Can Beneficiaries Choose The COVID-19 Vaccine?

Asked if people would have a choice as regards which vaccine -- Covishield or Covaxin -- they want to take, the minister said the country is proud to have two vaccines, both of which are effective with proven efficacy.

While Oxford-AstraZeneca's Covishield is being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India in Pune, Covaxin is being produced by Bharat Biotech.

World's Largest Vaccination Drive Begins From 1st March 2021

The second phase of the world's largest vaccination drive will start from Monday, in which anybody above 60 years, that may not be less than 10 crore people in the country, and above 45 years with co-morbidities will be administered the vaccine at 10,000 government medical facilities and over 20,000 private hospitals, Information, and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Wednesday.

"Whoever goes to a government centre will be administered the vaccine free of cost. The Indian government will pay for them. The government will purchase the necessary doses and send them to all the states," he said.