New security feature added to CoWIN platform

In order to minimise errors for online bookings and appointments and the subsequent inconvenience caused to the people, the CoWIN system is introducing a new feature of '4 digit security code' in the CoWIN application from tomorrow, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Friday.

The step has been taken after it was noticed in some instances that citizens that had booked their appointment for COVID vaccination through the CoWIN portal but did not actually go for vaccination on the scheduled date and have received notification through SMS that a vaccine dose has been administered to them

According to the health ministry, this new system will ensure that the data entries regarding the vaccination status of a citizen, are recorded correctly and only for those who book online appointments and avail the services.

Furthermore, this will also reduce the opportunities of impersonation and wrongful use of flexibilities provided in CoWIN for facilitating vaccination coverage.

"Now, after verification, if the beneficiary has been found as eligible, before administering the vaccine dose, the verifier/vaccinator will ask the beneficiary about his/her 4 digit code and then enter the same in the CoWIN system to correctly record the vaccination status," it said.

The ministry said that this new feature will be applicable only for citizens who have done an online booking for a vaccination slot.

"The four-digit security code will be printed in the appointment acknowledgement slip and will not be known to the vaccinator and the code will also be sent in the confirmation SMS sent to a beneficiary after successful booking of appointment," it said.

The ministry also advised the citizens to carry a copy (digital or physical) of their appointment slip and/or the registered mobile phone with appointment confirmation SMS, so that the 4-digit security code can be furnished for easy completion of the vaccination recording process.

"It is also advised that the security code may be furnished to verifier/vaccinator before the vaccine dose has been administered. This is important as the digital certificate would be generated after the vaccine dose administration," it said.

The digital certificate will be generated only after the vaccination record has been updated with the security code.

The confirmation SMS indicates that the vaccination process has been completed successfully and the digital certificate has been generated.

"If one does not get the confirmation SMS, one should get in touch with the vaccinator/ vaccination center in-charge," it added.

( With inputs from ANI )