Covid vaccine: Confusion, registration glitches in Mohali on Day 1

Gaurav Kanthwal 
Tribune News Service 
Mohali, March 2 

The first day of covid vaccination for persons with comorbidities and senior citizens was marked by confusion on many accounts in Mohali on Monday. 

“If you are a senior citizen and facing a problem with online registration for vaccination, the easiest way to get jabbed is walk-in at the designated hospitals with a PAN card and an identity card. Everything will be taken care of,” said Adarshpal Kaur, Mohali Civil Surgeon. 

The most common problem faced was the glitches with the official app meant for hospital authorities, followed by the senior citizens’ inability to cope up with self-registration and then the confusion regarding the available hospitals where vaccination/registration was actually taking place. 

By the end of the day, the district health officials could only authenticate three facilities—District Hospital, Mohali, Fortis and Max Hospital—where the vaccine was administered. But there were reports of the vaccine being administered at other private hospitals as well. Two government hospitals in the Mohali district could not begin the vaccination programme on the first day due to various reasons.

Sub Divisional Hospital Dera Bassi, Indus Hospital and Mehar Hospital are likely to begin vaccination/registration from Tuesday, said Sangeeta Jain, SMO Dera Bassi.

Doctors said the pace of persons willing to get vaccinated will pick up gradually once the process is streamlined. 

“It is such a paradox, everyone was waiting for the vaccine so eagerly but now it is here nobody is willing to get it,” said Dr Adarshpal Kaur.