Himachal to seek flexibility in vaccine slot booking

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 26

The state government has decided to approach the Central Government for some flexibility in vaccine bookings, as rural people are struggling to book slots on the COWIN portal owing to poor Internet connectivity and lack of technology awareness.

It has been reliably learnt that the government will write to the Union Health Ministry to allow some access to the COWIN portal so that a balance can be maintained between the urban and rural population in vaccination.

Resentment is brewing among villagers as all vaccine slots are booked within minutes and in some places within seconds as soon as the schedule opens for the 18-44 age group; there are over 31 lakh people in this category in the state.

There have been reports that people not only in Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur but also in rural parts of Shimla are unable to book vaccine slots, leading to resentment.

“There is poor Internet connectivity and also people in rural areas, especially those who are not tech savvy and do not have an android phone, are unable to book vaccine slots ,” admits a senior health official.

What has made the matter worse is that people from urban areas are booking slots in rural vaccination centres. There have been instances of people from Delhi, Rajasthan and Punjab taking vaccine in Manali and Lahaul and Spiti while holidaying their.

The Lahaul-Spiti district administration has devised a mechanism whereby 80 per cent of the vaccine slots are reserved personally by putting a slip in a box, but in most parts of the state villagers are unable to book vaccine slots.