With COVID-19 vaccination drive set to begin for people above 60 years and those above 45 years with co-morbidities from March 1, there is curiosity over the registration process. Authorities have kept open both the online and offline methods for interested vaccine recipients to register.
One can register in advance through online mode, and or simply walk into a vaccination site to get their names on the list. The latter would be of help to those who do not have means to self-register or are not tech-savvy enough. Details of the photo identity cards or other documents that are needed for registration would be announced soon.
In case of healthcare workers (HCWs) and frontline workers (FLWs), trhe Co-WIN app was used to list the beneficiaries. They were sent messages about date, time and location of the vaccination site.
Senior officials of the Health department had earlier said a different version of Co-WIN would be launched for general public to register themselves.
If one registers in advance, they would be sent a message regarding the date, time and location of the vaccination site. Each hospital would be provided with only a single brand of vaccine. However, they might not be given the option to choose which vaccine they will get.
50L recipients
According to the estimate of Director of Public Health G. Srinivasa Rao, there are around 50 lakh people in the State who are above 60 years old or above 45 years with co-morbidities. Of them, around 44 lakh are 60-plus, he said.
Asked how they would determine if a person has a co-morbidity, the senior official said that they are yet to come out with a procedure. The officials might ask for written material from a doctor that a prospective recipient has one or more co-morbidity.
Last mop-up session
HCWs and FLWs who have not yet taken the vaccine would be extended a final opportunity to get the jab. Dr Srinivasa Rao said they would hold mop-up sessions till the end of February. If they miss out on it, they would have to take it along with general public from March 1.
From January 16 to February 23, out of the total targeted 3,31,097 HCWs from government and private sectors, 59% or 1,95,850 took the vaccine. In case of FLWs, 88,987 out of the targeted 2,57,239 have taken the first dose.