On-site registration to open for 18-44 age group, but here are the terms

The feature for on-site registration and appointment is now being enabled for the 18-44 years age group on CoWIN, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed on Monday.

However, the feature is being enabled only for Government COVID Vaccination Centers (CVCs), at the present moment in time.

The health ministry said that this feature will not be available for Private CVCs presently, and the Private CVCs will have to publish their vaccination schedules exclusively with slots for online appointments.

“This feature will be used only upon the decision of the respective State/UT Government to do so. State/UT must decide on the opening of on-site registrations/facilitated cohorts’ registration and appointments for 18-44 years age group based on the local context just as an additional measure to minimize vaccine wastage and for facilitating vaccination of eligible beneficiaries in the age group 18-44 years,” the ministry said in a statement.

The Union Health Ministry has advised the states and union territories to issue clear instructions to all District Immunization Officers to strictly adhere to decisions of respective states and union territories government regarding the extent and manner of using the on-site registration and appointment feature for 18 to 44 years age group.

It further said that the fully reserved sessions can also be organized for providing vaccination services to the beneficiaries belonging to facilitated cohorts.

“Wherever such fully reserved sessions are organized, all efforts must also be made to mobilize such beneficiaries in sufficient numbers,” read the release.

The Union Health Ministry has further advised states and union territories that abundant caution should be exercised and extreme due care should be taken while opening up on-site registration and appointment for 18-44 years age group, in order to avoid overcrowding at vaccination centres.

The ministry said the facility of only online appointment mode initially to people in the age group of 18 to 44 years helped to avoid overcrowding at the vaccination centres.