Online registration or appointment not mandatory to avail COVID-19 vaccine services: Govt

The Central government on Tuesday announced that pre-registration or prior booking of appointment is not mandatory to avail of the COVID-19 vaccination services. The clarification came after many people in rural areas reportedly faced problems in getting vaccinated.

The government further said that anyone aged above 18 years or more can directly go to the nearest vaccination center where vaccinator performs the on-site registration and administers the vaccine in the same visit.

This procedure is normally called 'walk in'.

The Centre went on to explain that the facilitated registration through the Common Service Centers (CSCs) on Co-WIN, is just one of the many modes of registration on Co-WIN.

The facilitators such as health workers or ASHAs, have been mobilising beneficiaries in rural areas and those residing in urban slums, for on-site registration and vaccination directly at the nearest vaccination centers. The facility for assisted registrations through the 1075 Help Line has also been operationalised, it added.

The authorities noted that all the above modes, specifically operationalised for rural areas, are functional and enabling equitable access to vaccination in rural areas.

This is evident from the fact that, as on June 13, out of the 28.36 crore beneficiaries registered on Co-WIN, 16.45 crore (58%) beneficiaries have been registered in the on-site mode. Also, out of the total 24.84 crore vaccine doses recorded on Co-WIN as on June 13, 2021, 19.84 crore doses (nearly 80% of all vaccine doses) have been administered through onsite/walk-in vaccination.

According to the Health Ministry, out of the total 69,995 vaccination centers so far classified by states on Co-WIN as rural or urban, 49,883 vaccination centers, i.e. 71%, are located in rural areas.

The coverage of vaccination in tribal area – as per the data available on Co-WIN as on June 3, 2021:

• Vaccination per million population in tribal districts is higher than the National average.

• 128 out of 176 Tribal Districts are performing better than all India vaccination coverage.

• More walk-in vaccinations are happening in Tribal Districts as compared to National average.

• Gender ratio for people vaccinated is also better in the tribal districts.