Download app from Google Playstore or register in cowin.karnataka.gov.in website 

Mysore/Mysuru: While a large number of people now have immunity against Coronavirus due to previous infections or vaccination, an even larger population in the city needs to be vaccinated. 

The State Government’s own COWIN-KAR app that has been launched on a pilot basis in Mysuru city limits — for people to register and book their vaccine slots — is receiving good response with many downloads and registrations.

Beneficiaries from all the three Assembly constituencies — Chamaraja, Krishnaraja and Narasimharaja — are downloading the app from Google Playstore or from the cowin.karnataka.gov.in website and are registering themselves based on the eligibility criteria fixed by the District  Health Department. The COWIN-KAR pilot project was launched on July 26 and after initial glitches, now any resident of Mysuru city can download and register. Registration, however, has not been expanded to other areas beyond city limits.

Since the last three days, more than 350 vaccines have been administered to those beneficiaries who registered using COWIN-KAR and the number of registrations is only growing, District Health Officer Dr. K.H. Prasad told Star of Mysore this morning.

“While we cannot pin-point the exact number of downloads of the app, we are seeing registrations based on the eligibility criteria that is decided on the available slots and also the vaccine stocks,” he said.

Slots are available and this is an easy-to-use method and people must make use of the facilities. A unique feature of the app is that beneficiaries who select vaccination centres of choice must produce address proof within the vicinity of the centre, he added.

“The COWIN-KAR app avoids all the glitches present in the CoWIN app (designed by the Union Health Ministry) and has been designed as a user-friendly dashboard. People must make use of this and vaccines will be doled out as per the slots. Once registered, the vaccine slot at any given vaccination centres within Mysuru city is ensured,”  Dr. Prasad said.

Once registered in cowin.karnataka.gov.in or through the downloaded app, the user will get an OTP that validates the mobile number and the user is taken to an interface next where the registration can be done. Up to four members of a family can be registered in one go in the app and the user is asked to submit details like name and  ID proof. 

Prioritising slots 

The app also prioritises slots for frontline workers, second dose, age and people with comorbidities. It enables people to easily register themselves and family members by just giving their location, preference for dates, occupation etc. The slots will be automatically assigned based on vaccine availability and the user will get intimation once a slot is allocated.

One reschedule is allowed for every user and the app will show dose completion details after vaccination. The user needs to use the same mobile number to register if they have already registered on the CoWIN platform, the DHO explained. If the pilot project is successful in Mysuru, the App will be extended to  the entire State.