India witnessed a fall in COVID-19 positive cases over the last few days, but celebrations are still not in order. The country continues to see at least three lakh cases daily, and all medical experts are recommending one crucial bit – MASK ON. Similarly, the Indian government is ramping up its efforts to tackle the pandemic by expanding its vaccination programme to everyone above 18 years. Sadly, citizens in the country (and especially in big cities like Mumbai and Delhi) are struggling to book slots due to multiple factors including a shortage of vaccines. Luckily, tech giants and independent researchers are now coming up with solutions that will essentially let Indians know their availability to get the jab at the earliest. Here are some tools you might want to check that will help find COVID-19 vaccine centres with availability of slots, around your location.
CoWIN: No matter what app or website users use, the CoWIN website and app for Android users remain the sole platform to book the COVID-19 vaccine slot online. It is also accessible via the Aarogya Setu app for Android and iOS. 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.
Findslot.in: Another platform that can help you find COVID-19 vaccine centre with availability is Findslot.in, which uses CoWIN open API. Similar to CoWIN, the website lets users search availability by entering different pin codes individually. Unfortunately, the site can be unreliable at times as it failed to show availability despite the centres having slots available (cross-verified through other platforms). However, the website says that “availability changes in real-time.” Users can also reach out to developers Shubhendu Sharma (@ShubhenduSharma) and Jeroz (@JerozNishanth) on Twitter in case of facing errors.
Getjab.in: Getjab.in is another interesting platform that notifies users via email when there’s an availability of COVID-19 vaccine slot, unlike FindSlot.in and CoWIN. 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.
Under45.in: Under45.in uses a similar strategy as Findslot.in to find COVID-19 vaccine centres with availability for people between 18-44 years. Its developer, Berty Thomas is also sharing links to Telegram groups on his Twitter account (@BertyThomas) that contain the same slot-availability details. Notably, Under45.in only requires state and district information and no name and other personal details – a plus point for privacy-concerned individuals. It contains a list where slots are available based on recent searches.
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 ‘hi’ 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. Notably, users can chat with the chatbot in Hindi by sending the text Hindi or हिंदी.
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Source: News18