The Government of India has announced phase 3 of the vaccination drive in the country amidst the steep spike in COVID-19 cases. All citizens aged above 18 will be eligible for vaccination starting May 1. Currently, only citizens above the age of 45 were allowed to take the vaccine. India’s fresh cases tally at 2.94 lakhs – the second-highest ever recorded globally. Users need to register for the vaccine online before heading to the hospitals and getting their first shot.
MyGovIndia has tweeted that phase 3 will begin on May 1, and registrations for vaccination will begin soon through the CoWIN platform and the Aarogya Setu app. There is no app for the CoWIN site, and registrations can only be done through the website. The government is likely to open up registrations before May 1, in order to get the ball rolling beforehand. At the time of writing, the registration process is still restricted for users aged above 45, but that should be expanded to all users above 18 years of age soon.
How to register for the COVID-19 vaccine online?
Once the registration process for phase 3 begins, users can head to the CoWIN portal and Aargya Setu app to register for the vaccine. The vaccination drive currently offers two COVID-19 vaccines – Covaxin that has been developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech and Covishield that has been developed by the Oxford-AstraZeneca and is being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII). Users can look for nearby vaccination centres with the help of our guide here. To register, follow the steps mentioned below.
Process for registration through CoWIN portal
- Enter your mobile number, click on Get OTP. An OTP should arrive on your phone. Enter the digits on the site, and click Verify.
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On the Register for Vaccination page, enter all the details, including photo ID proof, name, gender, and year of birth. Click on Register.
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Once registered, you will get the option to schedule an appointment, Click on Schedule next to the name of the person registered.
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Enter your pin code and hit Search. The centres in the pin code will show up, select the date and time and click on Confirm.
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You can add up to four members through one login. It is easy to reschedule your appointment; the process is similar to how you schedule it.
Process for registration through Aarogya Setu app
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Head to the Aarogya Setu app > Click on CoWIN tab on the home screen
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Select Vaccination Registration > Enter Phone Number > Enter OTP
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Click on Verify > You will be directed to the Registration of Vaccination page
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Follow the same steps as mentioned in the ‘Process for registration through CoWIN portal’ guide.
Each citizen has to take two shots of the vaccine. The CoWIN portal says that the second dose of Covaxin should be taken between 28 days to 42 days after the first dose. The second dose of Covishield should be taken between 28 days to 56 days after the first dose.
