1.2cr 18+ register for shot, but appointment may get delayed

1.2cr 18+ register for shot, but appointment may get delayed

Time Slots Based On Availability Of Centres: Govt

Sushmi.Dey@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:29.04.2021 

An enthusiastic response greeted the opening of online registrations for Covid-19 vaccination for those above 18 on Wednesday with the Co-Win platform recording over 1.23 crore registrations even though scheduling of appointments for May 1 onwards is not possible as yet.

There were more than 1 crore online registrations with 90% users registered after 4pm, when the portal began accepting 18-plus beneficiaries, a senior official said. The exact numbers of new beneficiaries would be a dynamic figure, officials said. In the first three hours (4-7 pm), 383 million API hits, initially as high as 2.7 million hits per minute, were recorded. As many as 1.45 crore SMS were successfully delivered, the health ministry said.

The registration process was accompanied by the announcement that appointments at state government centres and private centres will depend on how many vaccination centres are ready on May 1 for vaccination of 18-plus beneficiaries. Several states have indicated they may not be able to begin the 18-plus vaccination on May 1. The platform experienced initial glitches as the system was flooded with registration requests and OTPs were not received for a while. The portal, however, became accessible after a while and registrations proceeded smoothly shortly after being opened to the widest category of beneficiaries after 4pm on Wednesday.

A SHOT OF HOPE

Surge in registrations a welcome sign

Though scheduling was not possible, the surge in registrations and high interest in the younger population as evident on social media and WhatsApp conversations was a welcome sign amid concerns that fresh infections are discouraging people from getting vaccinated. It will help convince states, private hospitals and vaccine-makers that there is a demand for vaccination.

As of now, vaccinations are available in private hospitals only for 45 plus people till the end of the month. Thereafter the Centre-supported vaccine rollout for this category will be available only in government hospitals. Under the new scheme, states, private hospitals and corporates can access 50% production of Covishield and Covaxin for the 18 and above category. The intention, according to central officials, is to allow states more leeway in planning vaccinations and creating incentives for vaccine- manufacturers to boost production. The higher price at private hospitals will also allow those who can pay to reduce the load on government facilities.

So far, the vaccination drive was driven by walk-in registrations. Of the total 14.71 crore registrations so far, 9.33 crore are walk-ins, whereas 2.82 crore people are online. Around 2.55 crore health and frontline workers have also been registered by state governments. According to officials, online registrations witnessed a major jump after 4pm on Wednesday. For people between 18-44 years, online registration and booking of appointments is mandatory for receiving a vaccine against Covid-19.