For above 18, Covid vaccination registration on CoWIN will begin from 28th April

Officials announced on Thursday that registration for Covid-19 vaccination would begin on the CoWIN platform and the Aarogya Setu app on April 28 for all those over the age of 18. The immunisation procedure and documentation required to receive the vaccine remain unchanged. Certain changes, such as the age requirements and a few other features, have been made, and the CoWIN platform is now ready to meet the anticipated surge in demand once universal vaccination is implemented, according to an official.

The current system of private Covid-19 vaccination centres receiving government doses and charging up to Rs 250 per dose will end on 1st May, and private hospitals will purchase directly from vaccine manufacturers.

Covid-19 vaccination will continue to be free for eligible groups such as healthcare employees, frontline workers, and people over 45 years of age in government vaccination centres that collect doses from the government of India, according to the Liberalized Pricing and Accelerated National Covid-19 Vaccination Strategy. Other than Indian government channel, all adult citizens of the country will be qualified, as per the document.

On Wednesday, health secretary Rajesh Bhushan explained, "While the Centre has liberalised the vaccination policy, this does not mean that vaccines can be sold in pharmacies or chemist shops on the open market." He stated that the price paid by private hospitals for vaccination will be tracked.

Vaccine manufacturers will be required to supply 50% of their monthly Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) issued doses to the Indian government, leaving the remaining 50% to state governments and the open market.

All vaccinations (both through the government vaccination centres and through channels other than Indian government) will be part of the National Vaccination Programme, and will follow all existing guidelines, captured on the CoWIN platform, along with stocks and prices per vaccination applicable in all vaccination centres, and will comply with AEFI management.

According to the document, the Centre will distribute vaccines to states and union territories based on performance (speed of administration, average consumption), and the extent of infections (number of active Covid-19 cases).

The vaccination of those over the age of 18 will begin across the country on 1st May as part of the third phase of the inoculation campaign, according to the central government.