CoWIN introduces a 4-digit security code to minimize the vaccination data entry error

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The CoWIN system is introducing a new feature of a four-digit security code from May 8 to minimize data entry errors about vaccination status. The health ministry has said that this would subsequently reduce the inconvenience caused to citizens.

It has been noticed in some instances that citizens who had booked their appointment for COVID-19 vaccination through the CoWIN portal but did not actually go for vaccination on the scheduled date received an SMS notification stating a successful administration of the dose.

In order to minimize such errors and the subsequent inconvenience caused to the citizens, the CoWIN system is introducing a new feature of four-digit security code in the CoWIN application from May 8.

How will it work?

This new feature will be applicable only to citizens who have done an online booking for a vaccination slot.

The four-digit security code will be printed in the appointment acknowledgment slip and will not be known to the vaccinator.

The code will also be present in the confirmation SMS sent to a beneficiary after successful booking of an appointment.

The appointment acknowledgment slip can also be saved and shown from the mobile.

This will ensure that for those citizens who have booked an online appointment, the data entries regarding the vaccination status of a citizen are recorded correctly, the ministry said in a statement.

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

The ministry advised the citizens must carry a digital or physical copy of their appointment slip and the registered mobile phone with appointment confirmation SMS so that the security code can be furnished for easy completion of the vaccination recording process.

Citizens must provide the security code to the vaccinator as the digital certificate will be generated only after the vaccination record has been updated with the security code. Citizens should get a confirmation SMS after the process has been successfully completed.

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 or the vaccination centre in charge, the ministry said.