Is Co-WIN app for Covid-19 vaccine launched? How to download, register

The application is in pre-product stage being accessed by health officials who are uploading the data of the health workers who will get vaccines in the first stage. More than 75 lakh beneficiaries have already been registered during the dry run.

With both Covishield and Covaxin getting the Drug Control General of India(DCGI)’s approval for restricted emergency use, vaccination drive now is only a matter of announcement as both Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech are prepared to supply the doses required for phase one vaccination.

A health worker uploads her details on Co-WIN app during the dry run of Covid-19 vaccination at Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow. (PTI)

In this phase, frontline workers will be vaccinated. The cost will be borne by the Centre. For vaccination process, Centre has brought in an application named Co-WIN (Covid Vaccine Intelligence Network).

Here is all you need to know

1. The Union health minister has earlier said that people would be able to self-register themselves for vaccine through this app. But that would happen at a later stage after the frontline workers identified by the local authorities are vaccinated.

2. The application is not yet launched. It is not available at present in the play store.

3. The application is in the pre-product stage being accessed by health officials who are uploading the data of the health workers who will get vaccines in the first stage. More than 75 lakh beneficiaries have already been registered during the dry run.

4. The Union health ministry and the ministry of electronics and information technology jointly announced a challenge inviting participants to take part where they will have to strengthen the final app.

5. As of now, the app can not be accessed by people and there is no self-registration going on. It is being only accessed by officials as the app was tested during vaccine dry run too.

6. Once launched, the app will have four modules: User administrator module, beneficiary registration, vaccination and beneficiary acknowledgement and status updation.

7. The module of beneficiary registration will be for people to use in case they want to register themselves. There will be three options under this: self registration, individual registration and bulk upload.

8. In self-registration, the beneficiaries can directly register themselves through the web as well as the mobile application. Photo identity will be required for registration. And if an individual registers himself or herself, the data will be verified to check whether he or she is above 50, or below 50 but with co-morbidity issues.

9. Surveyors and district administrators can also register multiple beneficiaries.

10. There will be no spot registration in any phase of priority group vaccination.

Only frontline workers will be vaccinated in the first two phases. Next, people above 50 years of age, who are at a greater risk of contracting Covid-19, will be vaccinated. People below that age group but with co-morbidity issues will be considered after that. Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has clarified that vaccine will be free for frontline workers. It is not yet clear whether the vaccine for people above 50 years and people with co-morbidities will be free or subsidised.