Registration for COVID-19 vaccination for people above 18 years to begin today from 4 pm

As India gets ready to vaccinate everyone above the ae of 18 years, registration for this group will open today at 4pm. Here's what you need to know.

From May 1, India will open COVID-19 vaccination for all citizens above the age of 18 years. As fresh cases continue to inundate the Indian healthcare system daily, this is seen as an essential step to bring the virus to its knees. In view of this, the Union Government has announced that registration for the third phase of COVID-19 vaccination for everyone above 18 years will start from 4 p.m. Wednesday. Today morning, Aarogya Setu, Government's mobile application for contact tracing and Adissemination of medical advisories to contain spread of Covid, tweeted: "Registration for 18 plus to begin on http://cowin.gov.in, Aarogya Setu App and UMANG App at 4 PM on 28th April. Appointments at State Government centers and Private centers depending on how many vaccination centers are ready on 1st May for Vaccination of 18 plus."

No walk-ins for this round of vaccination

Government has already clarified that there will be no walk-in allowed for beneficiaries in the third phase. "Only self registration and advance appointments for people between 18 to 45 years of age. No walk in allowed," government had said.

Manufacturers to provide 50% supply to central government

In phase 3 of the vaccination drive, vaccine manufacturers would supply 50 per cent of their monthly Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) released doses to the Government of India (GoI) and would be free to supply the remaining 50 per cent doses to the State government and in the open market. All vaccination would be part of the National Vaccination Programme and mandated to follow all protocols such as being captured on CoWIN platform, linked to AEFI reporting and all other prescribed norms.

People above 45 years, priority groups to still get it for free

Stocks and price per vaccination applicable in all vaccination centres will also have to be reported real time. Vaccination will continue to be provided free of cost to the eligible population as defined earlier which include Health Care Workers (HCWs), Front Line Workers (FLWs) and all people above 45 years of age at Government of India (GoI) vaccination centres.

How to book an appointment

The registration process is the same as the first and the second phase of the vaccination drive. You can visit the cowin.gov.in website to register yourself. You can also do it through the Aarogya Setu mobile app. Please be aware that, unlike in the first and second phase, this time around, there will be no walk-in registration in this phase.

Price of vaccines

The Serum Institute of India's Covishield vaccine is 400 per dose for states and 600 per dose for private hospitals. Bharat Biotech's Covaxin is 600 per dose for states and 1,200 per dose for private hospitals. The Centre has asked the drug makers to lower their prices but, so far, there has been no such offer from the manufacturers.

(With inputs from IANS)