Registration for Covid19 vaccine starts at 4pm today; detailed guide to register

New Delhi: All those aged above 18 can register themselves on the CoWIN portal or using the Aarogya Setu app to get vaccinated against COVID-19 starting 4 pm on Wednesday, the Union Health Ministry said as the government gears up to launch the third phase of vaccination drive from 1 May.

“Registration for the newly eligible category for COVID-19 vaccination opens today at 4 pm on cowin.gov.in and Aarogya Setu app,” the ministry tweeted.

After registration, taking an appointment to get a COVID-19 vaccine jab would be mandatory for those aged between 18 and 44 years as walk-ins will not be allowed initially, officials had said.

Those above 45 years can still avail the facility of on-site registration to get vaccinated, they said.

As India witnesses a surge in coronavirus cases, it has decided to allow everyone above 18 years of age to get vaccinated from May 1.

“An increased demand is expected once the vaccination is opened for all. For the purpose of crowd control, registering on CoWIN portal and making an appointment to get a vaccine will be mandatory for those aged between 18 and 45 years. Walks-in will not be allowed in the beginning so that there is no chaos,” an official had said.

The inoculation process and documents to be provided to get the jab remains the same.

“Registration of citizens in 18-44 age group will start with only online registration on COWIN from April 28 onwards,” the ministry had said.

Also, from May 1, the types of anti-coronavirus vaccine and their prices will be displayed on the CoWIN portal for citizens to make an informed choice at the time of booking an appointment at a private vaccination centre.

While those aged 18 to 44 years will be eligible to receive vaccination on payment from any of the private COVID vaccination centres (CVCs), citizens below 45 years shall also be eligible to receive a jab from a government CVC in a state or Union Territory which decides to lower the minimum cut off age for eligibility.

As provided in the Liberalised Pricing and Accelerated National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy document, all priority groups, such as healthcare workers, frontline workers and citizens above aged 45 years or more (as on 01.01.2022), shall continue to be eligible for vaccination free of cost from government CVCs, or on payment from private CVCS.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to register for the vaccine

On the Co-WIN app:

Download and Install the Co-WIN app on your Android smartphone via the Google Play Store.
Open the app and enter your mobile number.
Enter the OTP once you receive it and click tap Verify.
Once the OTP is validated, the page to register for vaccination appears
Now, the registration page will appear.
Fill in your personal details including name, age, gender, and more.
Details required are photo ID proof, photo ID number, name, year of birth, gender, and comorbidities if any. Upload them.
Tap on the register button.
Select the health center and schedule an appointment for any available date.
Tap on Book appointment to successfully register yourself for the COVID-19 vaccine.

On Aarogya Setu app

Download and Install the Aarogya Setu app on your Android or iOS device. In case you already have the app, make sure it is up-to-date.
Using the on-screen instructions, register yourself
Tap on the Vaccination tab.
Enter your mobile number and verify it via the OTP.
Now, register for the vaccine by filling up the required details.
After the first vaccine shot, you can download the vaccination certificate. The certificate will have the name, date of birth, Beneficiary Reference ID, Photo ID, vaccine name, hospital name, date, and other details.

Note that Beneficiary Reference ID is very important for getting the certificate.