Health Ministry warns citizens from downloading 'COWIN' app

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has warned the citizens to beware of apps named "CoWIN" and downloading these apps can create personal risk. 

Some apps named 'CoWIN' apparently created by unscrupulous elements to sound similar to upcoming official platform of Govt, are on App stores. Don't download or share personal information on these. Dept official platform will be adequately publicised on its launch, said the Health Ministry.

As per reports at least 10,000 people have downloaded it and are facing problems. Also, they are not getting any information regarding the vaccination process.

Notably, the official CoWIN (COVID Vaccine Intelligence Network) app introduced by the centre is currently in its pre-production stage and hasn't gone live on Google play store or any other App store. This app is supposed to be the only digital platform to make the vaccination process streamlines. 

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has announced grand challenge for strengthening 'CoWIN' the COVID Vaccine Intelligence Network', a digitalised platform for the effective national rollout and scaling up of the COVID Vaccine Distribution System.

At the launch of the platform, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad invited innovators and startups for the grand challenge to strengthen the CoWIN platform for the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination program across India.

Some apps named "#CoWIN" apparently created by unscrupulous elements to sound similar to upcoming official platform of Government, are on Appstores.

DO NOT download or share personal information on these. #MoHFW Official platform will be adequately publicised on its launch.

— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) January 6, 2021