Recently Indian government announced its plan to start vaccination for the people in the 18-45 age bracket against Covid-19. The registrations for the same went live last week, and the vaccination started on 1st May in various regions depending upon vaccine availability. In order to make the process easier, the Indian government has partnered with WhatsApp, a popular instant messaging platform. As a result, we now have a chatbot to help us find Covaxin and Covishield vaccination centres in a particular area. Apart from this, there are a host of different online tools, apps, and websites that will notify you when there is a slot available in an area near you. In this post, we will guide you with step by step procedure to help you with the registration process.
What are the Two Vaccines Currently Available in India
Currently, there are two vaccines available in India. The first one is Covaxin, which is developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International Limited. The vaccine has been developed in collaboration with ICMR and the National Institute of Virology. The Covaxin is created using the dead COVID viruses, which does not infect people but still able to instruct the immune system so that it creates a defensive reaction against the deadly viruses.
The second one is Covihield, which is based on a viral vector platform. The vaccine is developed Serum Institute of India. The vaccine is made with a chimpanzee adenovirus that has been modified to carry coronavirus pipe protein into human cells. The virus is harmless and helps to create antigen for the COVID-19 virus.
WhatsApp MyGov Corona Helpdesk
The Indian government has partnered with WhatsApp to roll out a new chatbot that helps you with the details of the vaccination centres near you. The chatbot not only gives you information about the vaccination centres, but it also gives other useful information like the latest updates on COVID-19, ways to improve immunity, facts checker, where to get help, and more. Here’s how you can use this bot:
- Users need to send a text message Hi to 9013151515 on WhatsApp, or users can simply click here to send a message.
- In next few minutes, users should receive a message.
- Users need to type 1, as it will provide them Covid 19 vaccination related information.
- Users need to type 1 again to see the list of vaccination centers.
- Following this, the user will be asked to provide the zipcode/pincode of their area.
- After sending the zipcode/pincode of their area, users will receive a complete list of vaccination centers (both private and governent)
As soon as you get the information about the vaccination center in your area, you can head over to the CoWin website to book a slot for the vaccination.
Google Maps
Google has also introduced a special feature through which one can locate the nearest vaccination centre from its platform. The company has enabled users to search for the centres using Google Maps. The platform will show you the list of all available vaccination centres. In order to do that, one can simply go to the Google Maps application or web page. Then one needs to search ‘Vaccination centre near me’ or any other variation of the phrase. The app will then show the list of hospitals and centres (government and private) that vaccinate people. Alternatively, you also can search for the same thing on Google search engine. The platform will show important details like distance from your location, availability of slots, and more.
CoWIN Platform
CoWIN is yet another reliable source to find the nearest vaccination centre in a particular area. The platform also allows users to register themselves in order to get vaccinated and it is a government-authorised channel. The platform helps you with different filters including Covaxin, Covishield, 18+ or 45+ age groups, free or paid service, and more. In order to find the nearest vaccination centre, one can follow these steps:
- Go to the CoWIN application or website.
- Search for ‘Find Your Nearest Vaccination Center’.
- Now, simply enter the pincode/district in the dialogue box or simply select ‘Current location’.
- Click on Go to get the list of all government and private vaccination centres available in your area.
MapmyIndia
MapmyIndia is yet another third-party platform that allows you to locate the nearest vaccination centre in your area. One can go to the MapmyIndia website or application and locate the vaccination centre quite easily. The process is fairly simple, all you need to do is type ‘vaccination centre near me’ in the search box and the app or website will show you the list of all government and private hospitals available in your area along with other details like Covaxin, Covishield availability, agree group, and more.
VaccinateMe by HealthifyMe
HealthifyMe company has introduced a new online tool that will not only help you locate the vaccination centre, but also look for available slots. The VaccinateMe allows users to search for available slots at their nearest vaccination centres. All you need to do is either enter the Pincode or select the District. The website will then show you the list of all available slots at your nearest government and private vaccination centres. It also shows the type of vaccine including Covaxin or Covishield is available or not.
Paytm Vaccine Finder
The digital payment platform has also announced a special tool to locate the availability of the slots at a vaccination centre near you. The company has integrated the tool in its application to check for the availability of vaccination slots. One can select different filters like Covaxin, Covishield, 18+ or 45+ age groups, and more In order to do that, one needs to follow these steps:
- Download and install the Paytm application from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
- Now, scroll down to the Discover With Paytm section.
- There you will find the Vaccine Finder option.
- Simply enter your Pincode or district and choose the age group.
- The app will show you the slots available at your nearest government and private vaccination centres.
Getjab.in
Getjab.in is another interesting platform that notifies users when the slots are available at their nearest vaccination centres. The platform is similar to Paytm Vaccine Finder or VaccinateMe platform. The process is similar as well. One can add name, email, location, phone number and once you register, it will send you an email whenever the slots are available in your area. The platform also reveals whether Covaxin or Covishield is available at the nearest government and private vaccination centres or not.
Under45.in
This is meant for those who are on Telegram. The platform gives you alerts of vaccination slots available in centres around them. The platform directly sends the notifications to the Telegram platform. One can visit https://under45.in/ and choose the state and district. One then needs to select the Telegram notification option and then join the channel on the app. The channel will then show all the important information like private and government vaccination centres near them, availability of Covaxin or Covishield, age group, number of slots available, date, and more.
Do you fall in the 18-45 age bracket? Did you register yourself for the vaccination? Do let us know in the comments below.
