Story

CoWIN introduces 4-digit security code to reduce vaccination status errors; here's what will change

The Union Health Ministry has introduced the '4-digit security code' feature in order to determine whether the beneficiaries who had booked an appointment to get the COVID-19 vaccine actually received the dose or not

The feature is being rolled out for beneficiaries who had booked appointments to receive the vaccine online

The CoWIN system, used to book vaccination slots, on Saturday launched the  '4-digit security code' feature on its website. The Union Health Ministry has introduced the '4-digit security code' feature in order to determine whether the beneficiaries who had booked an appointment to get the COVID-19 vaccine actually received the dose or not. The feature is being rolled out for beneficiaries who had booked appointments to receive the vaccine online.  

The ministry had stated on Friday that it had received reports on Twitter of instances where people had booked an appointment for the COVID-19 vaccine and they didn't show up to receive the dose but were marked as having been administered the vaccine. These individuals got an SMS saying that the vaccine was administered to them even though no jab was given to them.

"In order to minimise such errors and the subsequent inconvenience caused to the citizens, the CoWIN system is introducing a new feature of four-digit security code in the CoWIN application from May 8. Now, after verification, if the beneficiary is been found eligible, before administering the vaccine dose, the verifier/vaccinator will ask the beneficiary about his four-digit code and then enter the same in the CoWIN system to correctly record the vaccination status," said the Ministry.

How will the '4 digit security code' feature work?

  • The '4-digit security code' will be printed on the appointment acknowledgement slip and will not be known to the vaccinator. Beneficiaries will also receive an SMS containing the four-digit code.
  • At the vaccination centres, before taking the dose the verifier/vaccinator will ask the beneficiary for his/her 4 digit security code.
  • The verifier/vaccinator will then enter the four-digit security code into the CoWIN system to record that the beneficiary has been vaccinated.

The four-digit security feature will ensure that only those users who have made appointments receive the vaccine and the data about vaccination is correctly recorded in the CoWIN system. The vaccination certificate will be issued to users only after the vaccinator gets the security code. Hence, it is important that people going to get the vaccine do not lose the four-digit security code.