India begins next phase of COVID vaccination from Monday: What you should know

The government will begin the next phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive from Monday, March 1. Citizens above 60 years and those aged 45 and above with comorbidities will be able to register and book an appointment on the Co-WIN2.0 portal 9 am onward on Monday. All vaccines provided to beneficiaries at the government health facilities will be entirely free of cost, while private facilities cannot charge the beneficiary a sum above Rs 250 per person per dose. Private hospitals will have to remit the cost of vaccine doses allotted to them in a designated account of National Health Authority (NHA).

WHEN WILL REGISTRATION BEGIN

The registration will open at 9 am on March 1 at cowin.gov.in

WHO CAN REGISTER

Citizens that are aged, or will attain the age of 60 or more as on January 1, 2022 are eligible to register, in addition to all such citizens that are aged, or will attain the age of 45 to 59 years as on January 1, 2022, and have any of the specified 20 comorbidities. 

READ MORE: Covid-19 vaccine: Private hospitals can charge up to Rs 250 per dose, free at govt ones

HOW DOES IT WORK

According to the ministry, there will be only one live appointment for a beneficiary at any point of time for each dose. 

Appointments for any date for a COVID Vaccination Center will be closed at 3 pm on that day for which the slots were opened. For example, for March 1 the slots will be open from 9 am till 3 pm and the appointments can be booked anytime before that, subject to availability. However, on March 1, an appointment can also be booked for any future date for which vaccination slots are available.

A slot for the second dose will also be booked at the same COVID Vaccination Centre on 29th day of the date of appointment of the 1st dose.

If a beneficiary cancels a first dose appointment, then appointment of both doses will be cancelled.

WHERE AND HOW TO REGISTER

According to the ministry, there will be a facility of on-site registration so that eligible beneficiaries can walk into identified vaccination centres, get themselves registered and inoculated.

The eligible persons will be able to register at the Co-WIN2.0 portal through their mobile number, through a step by step process.

 

With one mobile number, a person can register as many as four beneficiaries. However, all those registered on one mobile number will have nothing in common except the mobile number, the ministry said.

The photo ID card number for each such beneficiary must be different. Either of the following photo identity documents can be used by citizens for availing of online registration — Aadhaar Card/Letter, Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC), passport, driving license, PAN Card, NPR Smart Card or Pension Document with photograph.

READ MORE: Vaccine registration app Co-WIN to open for registration on Mar 1, walk-ins to likely supersede

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