New Delhi: COVID-19 vaccination drive is now ready for people aged between 18 and 44 years. The Indian citizens can now register for the vaccine via portals like CoWIN, Aarogya Setu and Umang app.
In order to make it easier for people to track the availability of the vaccine at their nearest centre, many developers have launched new websites and apps that will help users receive alerts via email and messages.
Before we go on with the list, readers must note that third-party platforms can only help in finding a vaccine centre with available slots; however, the booking continues to happen via the CoWIN portal. To access the portal, citizens above 18 years of age can check out the CoWIN Android app and website or the integrated service within the Aarogya Setu app for Android, KaiOS, and iOS.
While these websites inform you about the available slots, you will still need to use the CoWIN portal to book an appointment.
Getjab.in
Getjab basically allows users to get email alerts on open vaccination slots nearby. Once the user registers on the website, they will receive a notification once a slot is available in their locality. It just asks for simple details like name, district, and email ID.
Under45.in
Under45.in is yet another website created by programmer Berty Thomas. This website makes it easier for people to track vaccination appointments in their locality. People can register on the website by just entering their state and district and find slots nearby. The website can also send district specific alerts to people directly on Telegram.
FindSlot.in
Those who are not comfortable with using the aforementioned websites, they can also use FindSlot.in. It uses the CoWIN open API to allow people to search by their city, or by their PIN code, or to enter their State and District to find the nearest booking for a COVID-19 vaccine.
Paytm Vaccine Finder: Digital payments platform Paytm recently announced the launch of ‘COVID-19 Vaccine Finder,’ an integrated platform to help citizens check the availability of vaccination slots via its inbuilt Mini App store. To find the COVID-19 vaccine slots via Paytm, open the app and head to Mini App Store section at the bottom. Look for the Vaccine Finder option and enter your pin code/ district, and select between 18+ and 45+ age groups. In case of unavailability, click on the ‘notify me when slots are available’ option to get real-time alerts.
VaccinateMe
VaccinateMe by fitness app HealthifyMe is another tool that is simple to use. You can enter pin code or district to find centres with available slots. Moreover, the platform will notify the users when a slot opens up via SMS, email, or WhatsApp in the case of unavailability. Citizens can search for vaccine slot by using filters like the name of the vaccine, age, and more.
CoWIN
As mentioned, no matter what apps or websites users use, the CoWIN website and app for Android users remain the sole portal to book the COVID-19 vaccine slot online. The CoWIN platform provides the most traditional way of looking for the availability of slots, that is, by individually entering different pin codes. You can read more about how to book a slot via CoWIN here.
Getjab.in
Getjab.in is another interesting platform that notifies users via email when there’s an availability of COVID-19 vaccine slot similar to Paytm Vaccine Finder and VaccinateMe. The site is run by ISB alumni Shyam Sunder and colleagues, and it requires information such as name, email, location, and optional phone number. The website claims that shared data will not be shared or sold to anyone. “Get notified by email whenever slots open up for 18 – 45 age group,” it adds.
WhatsApp MyGov Corona Helpdesk
WhatsApp can also help citizens find COVID-19 vaccine centres with availability around them via the WhatsApp MyGov Corona Helpdesk chatbot – launched in March 2020. The process to find a vaccine centre (and availability) is simple, and users have to save the number 9013151515 on their Android or iOS smartphone. User can also use the chatbot via WhatsApp Desktop or Web by clicking on the link: wa.me/919013151515. Once the MyGov Corona Helpdesk chatbot is launched, WhatsApp users will need to send ‘or ‘hello.’ After a moment, an automated response will ask users to select an option for their COVID-related info – in this case, to find the vaccine centre nearest to their location.
