Covid vaccine – costs, eligibility

India this week started the second phase of the vaccination drive – everyone above 60 years of age and those over 45 years with comorbidities will be able to get the Covid-19 vaccine.

The registrations for the Covid-19 vaccine registration opened at 9 AM on March 1 and will be open till 3 PM every day.

The vaccine will be administered for free – at government facilities.

Private hospitals can charge up to ₹250 per dose of Covid-19 vaccine, the Union Health Ministry has said.

Citizens can go to www.cowin.gov.in to register themselves or via the Aarogya Setu app, which has CoWIN app integration. There is no CoWIN app on Play Store for registration as the app is for administrators only. The registrations opened at 9 AM on March 1 and will be open till 3 PM every day. Slots subject to availability.

Open Aarogya Setu or Cowin.gov.in website

Enter your mobile number and enter the OTP received on your mobile number and verify.

Enter the mobile number on www.cowin.gov.in

In Aarogya Setu app, go to the CoWin tab, and tap on the Vaccination tab. Tap on Proceed.

A registration page will appear, where you will need to enter photo ID type (7 Photo Identity documents can be used by citizens for availing of online registration–Aadhar Card/Letter, Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC), Passport, Driving License, PAN Card, NPR Smart Card and Pension Document with photograph) as photo ID proof, enter your number, full name, gender and age.

If the person you are registering for is a senior citizen, click on the register button. If you are registering a person with comorbidities, you have to click on yes when it asks “Do you have any comorbidities (pre-existing medical conditions)”

Four people can register with one mobile number but separate ID proofs are required. However, the Photo ID Card Number for each such beneficiary must be different.

People aged between 45 years to 60 years will need to carry a medical certificate when they go for the appointment. Once registered, a confirmation message will be sent to the registered mobile number.

List of private hospitals designated for vaccine delivery available online

https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/PMJAYPRIVATEHOSPITALSCONSOLIDATED.xlsx

List of 20 comorbidities which makes you eligible to get the vaccine

The ministry has also specified 20 comorbidities among people aged between 45 and 59 years who will get the vaccine. The certificate of comorbidity, signed by any registered medical practitioner, can either be uploaded on Co-WIN 2.0 by the beneficiary while self-registering or a hard copy can be carried by the beneficiary to the Covid Vaccination Centres.

1) Heart failure with hospital admission in the past one year

2) Post cardiac transplant/ Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD)

3) Significant Left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVEF < 40 percent)

4) Moderate or Severe Valvular Heart Disease

5) Congenital heart disease with severe PAH or Idiopathic PAH

6) Coronary Artery Disease with past CABG/ PTCA/ MI and Hypertension/

7) Angina and Hypertension/ Diabetes treatment

8) CT/MRI documented stroke and Hypertension/ Diabetes on treatment

9) Pulmonary artery hypertension and Hypertension/ Diabetes on treatment

10) Diabetes (>10 years or with complication) and Hypertension on treatment

11) Kidney/Liver/ Hematopoietic stem cell transplant: Recipient/ On wait-list

12) End-stage Kidney Disease on haemodialysis/ CAPD

13) Current prolonged use of oral corticosteroids/ immunosuppressant medications

14) Decompensated cirrhosis

15) Severe respiratory disease with hospitalisations in last two years/ FEVI <50 percent

16) Lymphoma/ Leukaemia/ Myeloma

17) Diagnosis of any solid cancer on or after July 1, 2020, or currently on any cancer therapy

18) Sickle Cell Disease/ Bone marrow failure/ Aplastic Anemia/ Thalassemia Major

19) Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases/ HIV infection

20) Persons with disabilities due to Intellectual disabilities/ Muscular Dystrophy/ Acid attack with the involvement of respiratory system/ Persons with disabilities having high support needs/ Multiple disabilities including deaf-blindness

The entire registration for Covid-19 vaccination is digitally maintained and everyone has to register through the official CoWin website alone. No one can get you a ‘backdoor entry’ – tokens for a particular date or place.

There’s no separate app for Covid-19 vaccine registration and you can only get registered on the Cowin website.

By Christ & Co.