Pune: People aged 50 and above who wish to self-register for Covid vaccination can do so in the coming months. The central health ministry has decided to soon open up the Cowin app for senior citizens.
The ministry had said on Friday vaccinations for this category will start in March.
On Saturday, Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan shared that the government will make the app public within a month. He said, “currently, Cowin access is restricted and is not available to the public. But we have one month to work on it and release it for citizens.”
Bhushan said work is on the way to make the app more citizen-friendly. In Union Health Secretary’s words, “We will be slowly revealing new features that will make it easy for those above 50 to register.”
Chairperson of the Empowered Group on Technology and Data Management to combat Covid-19, Ram Sewak Sharm had earlier informed that the citizen version of the app would incorporate the suggestions for better performance and better user experience.
He described the app would include an “appointment” feature once it’s made public.
Suggestions have come in from states on how to improve the app’s user interface.
He said, “technology will not be an issue. The best citizen-centric interface will be made available in the coming days whenever it goes public.”
Cowin is an extension of India’s existing vaccine intelligence system. eVIN (electronic vaccine intelligence network) is an IT solution that helps plan, implement and monitor the ongoing Covid inoculation drive. Currently, access is limited to administrators and vaccinators at sites where jabs are being administered for those who are part of the first two priority groups, either healthcare or/and frontline workers.
In its present form, the app packs specific key modules for administrators, beneficiary registration and status updation.
Frontline and healthcare workers need registration done on Cowin before they can get their vaccines.
