New Delhi- The Union Health Ministry has introduced an additional feature in the CoWIN app in an attempt to ensure an accurate record of the vaccination status of the citizens.
The vaccinators will now ask for a four-digit security code from the people who have registered via the CoWIN app to mark them as "vaccinated' once they get administered the dose.
This decision was taken to ensure an accurate record of the vaccination status of the citizens because there were many cases that have been reported where a person who was absent to take their dose of vaccine received a confirmation mail that they have been inoculated.
From May 8 onwards, this new feature will come into play where individuals will have to carry an appointment acknowledgement slip with the printed confirmation code along with valid identification documents like PAN card, Aadhar Card etc. to the vaccination centre. The slip can also be produced digitally in the vaccination centre.
"4 digit security code will be added to CoWIN platform to minimise errors on online bookings and appointments. To be effective from May 8," officials said.
The cases of the COVID-19 infection seem to be skyrocketing and spiraling out of control with every passing day bringing the overburdened healthcare infrastructure on a brink of collapse. In an attempt to curb the spread of this deadly infectious disease, the government has made all adults above the age of 18 eligible for inoculation from the 1st of May onwards making it the nation's third vaccination drive and the largest vaccination drive in the world.
India, in an attempt to ramp up the vaccination drive, has procured COVID-19 injections from other parts of the world like Russia's Sputnik-V to include it in their vaccination list alongside the indigenous COVAXIN and COVISHIELD.
India, as of Thursday, stirred global concerns after having reported a record 4,14,188 COVID-19 infections taking the total tally of the caseload in the country to over 36.45 lakhs. 3,915 COVID-19 induced fatalities have been reported in the last 24 hours. This the second straight day that India has reported over 4 lakh cases.