New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today took the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine and appealed to those who are eligible to follow suit.
“Took my first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at AIIMS. Remarkable how our doctors and scientists have worked in quick time to strengthen the global fight against COVID-19. I appeal to all those who are eligible to take the vaccine. Together, let us make India COVID-19 free!,” said the prime minister on Twitter as he kick-started the next phase of Covid-19 vaccination in India.
India will expand its vaccination programme today to cover people over 60 and those over 45 with co-morbidities amid a growing number of more infectious virus strains and a spurt in cases.
Registration on the Co-WIN2.0 portal will open at 9 am today. Citizens will be able to register and book an appointment for vaccination, anytime and anywhere, using the Co-WIN 2.0 portal or through other IT applications such as Arogya Setu. According to the ministry, there will be a facility of on-site registration so that eligible beneficiaries can walk into identified vaccination centres, get themselves registered and inoculated. The eligible persons will be able to register at the Co-WIN2.0 portal through their mobile number, through a step by step process.
With one mobile number, a person can register as many as four beneficiaries. However, all those registered on one mobile number will have nothing in common except the mobile number, the ministry said. The photo ID card number for each such beneficiary must be different. Either of the following photo identity documents can be used by citizens for availing of online registration — Aadhaar Card/Letter, Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC), passport, driving license,PAN Card,NPR Smart Card or Pension Document with photograph.
All vaccines provided to beneficiaries at the government health facilities will be entirely free of cost, while private facilities cannot charge the beneficiary a sum above Rs 250 per person per dose (Rs 150 for vaccines and Rs 100 as operational charges), the ministry said. Private hospitals will have to remit the cost of vaccine doses allotted to them in a designated account of National Health Authority (NHA). The payment gateway for the same is being enabled by the NHA on their website, the ministry said.
