Karnataka’s new vax registration app delayed; website too not user-friendly

MYSURU: The state health department’s plan to launch a customised Co-Win application on a pilot basis in Mysuru city on Monday was put off.
The app was to provide Karnataka-specific features, but users were disappointed as the app was unavailable on Google Play Store. Officials did not say why the app wasn’t available.
The website too did not have the option to select a vaccination centre or date of choice. Only pincode-based allotment facility was provided. The new interface of the app was developed with the aim of helping people select a vaccination centre of their choice. This would help staff design vaccination drives based on requirements and availability of doses.
“In most vaccine centres in the city today, there was no slot for vaccination. I had planned to download the app and secure a slot. However, this app was unavailable on Google Play Store,” said Kiran Raj, a resident.
Users say the website experience was also poor. “It is similar to the existing Co-Win website. The only advantage is auto slot booking,” Raj said.
Dr MS Jayant, district vaccination officer, confirmed the app is yet to be made available for users. “We were informed that the app will be available from Thursday. There was no registration as the app was not available today,” he said.
Health department authorities say the aim of the pilot is to identify and study problems of the interface and to rectify them before its statewide release.