Everything you need to know about Coronavirus before you Travel

Covid-19 vaccines are crucial for every citizen, as organised by local government departments and related bodies who provide vaccination officially. In addition, several health organisations constantly monitor vaccinations to effectively reduce the risk of netizens getting affected by Covid-19. 

A booster dose is an additional primary shot of the Covid-19 vaccine citizens must receive if they are already vaccinated with the primary doses or for individuals with weakened immune systems.

Read on to know more about the process of registration for booster dose and its benefits.

A booster dose or an additional Covid shot is provided to people only after they have received their original shots and when these earlier shots have begun to reduce their effectiveness over time. Nevertheless, it is a strong shield to protect against Covid-19. To get a booster shot, firstly, you must check your locality or state resources, vaccination clinics, hospitals and centres offering the booster dose.

To receive a booster shot, you need to complete the registration for booster dose process and book an appointment. For elderly people aged above 60 and with a chronic disease, you must consult your physician before getting jabbed.

The immune system in our body weakens with time. It may also happen that the Covid-19 viral strain may mutate causing it to escape our immune responses. Doctors and researchers believe a booster dose will reduce infection risks during Covid-19.

So, here are some steps to register for a booster dose on the CoWIN website:

Step 1: Open the website cowin.gov.in. Enter basic information about yourself and provide a photo identification card to register online. 

Step 2: It is important to note that up to four individuals can be registered on the portal by using the same mobile number. However, each person will require separate identification documents to register under CoWIN.

Step 3: After you enter all the details, click on ‘Confirm Registration’, and an OTP (One Time Password) will be provided to your registered mobile number. Enter the code to verify.

Step 4: Now, you will see the registered names and details on the screen.

After registering, make sure to book your booster dose online properly.

So, after registering yourself on the portal, you need to follow the steps below to book your booster dose online.

Step 1: Go to the portal or log in with the Co-WIN Vaccinator App if you have registered on the website already. Now, click on the vaccination tab.

Step 2: Log in with the registered mobile number. If anyone else registered on your behalf, enter the specific phone number and request the person for the OTP generated. 

Step 3: After logging in, your profile will be visible. Also, if you did not get your vaccinations so far and wish to get them now, you will have to register.

Step 4: If you are fully vaccinated and are eligible for the booster dosage, the portal will show available slots in the ‘Appointments’ section for this dose.

Step 5: Now, click on the ‘Precaution dose’ section and select ‘Appointments’.

Step 6: Enter your location, pin code, district, state, etc. and click on the ‘Book appointment’ option. 

Step 7: You will receive a confirmation message upon your appointment has been booked, and you can download the details from the app or the website.

Now, let us see how to register for a booster dose in the Umang app.

Although Cowin is the most used app or website through which citizens register themselves for a booster dose, the Umang app is another portal for registering a booster dose. Here are the simple steps that you can follow.

Step 1: Install the Umang app on your mobile phone and register by entering your mobile number.

Step 2: You will receive an OTP to confirm your registration. Once you have done that, you have to feed the details as given and tap on the ‘Register’ option. 

Step 3: Now, click the ‘Register now’ option to confirm your registration process.

For booking vaccinations and appointment schedules, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Click on the ‘Login for vaccination’ option and provide your registered mobile number. You will receive an OTP against your registered number for verification.

Step 2: Enter your details as required and click on the ‘Submit’ option.

Step 3: In the next page you can schedule your appointment for vaccination by entering your pincode and location details.

Step 4: Once booked your appointment details will be sent to your registered mobile number. You can also download the appointment slip.

Apart from Cowin and Umang, citizens can also register and book their booster slots on the Arogya Setu app. Let us see how to register for a booster shot in this app.

You can use the Arogya Setu app to book your vaccinations and appointments. Here are the following steps to book.

Step 1: Download the Arogya Setu app.

Step 2: Open the app portal, and select the ‘CoWIN’ option on the top. You will be asked to provide your registered mobile number. 

Step 3: An OTP will be sent to the respective number for verification. If you are already registered, you can book your appointment slot. If not, you must first register yourself by providing all the necessary details like your name and photo identification documents.

Step 4: You can register up to four beneficiaries under one mobile number. Once done, click on ‘Confirm’ to register.

Now, to book your vaccination appointments follow the underlying steps:

Step 1: Click on the ‘CoWIN’ option on the top section to view four options – vaccination information, vaccination, vaccination certificate, and vaccination dashboard.

Step 2: Enter the portal and click on the ‘Vaccination’ option to view two options – registration and login.

Step 3: If you are already a registered member, click on the login option. Enter your registered mobile number and click on the ‘Proceed to verify’ option.

Step 4: You will receive an OTP on your registered mobile number. Verify by entering the code that you receive on that mobile number.

Step 5: Now, you can see your name, status, and action options. Enter the details as required and click on the ‘Submit’ button.

Step 6: To book your booster dose appointment, enter the location details, pincode and book your slot at your convenient time.

Step 7: Click on the ‘Confirm appointment’ option and download the appointment certificate from the app.

You might be wondering, like many others, about the importance of the booster dose. Many people have already received their mandatory vaccination doses, but getting the booster dose is equally important. Here’s why

• Strengthens Your Immune System:

Since the effectiveness of the last two doses tends to weaken over time, your immune system remains at risk of getting contaminated by Covid-19 again. A booster dose shields yourself from the deadly virus and reduces the severity of infection once contaminated. This means as you are protecting yourself, and those around you. This helps to create a herd immunity amongst us.

• Provides Stronger Protection:

As effects of previous vaccination might wane over time, booster dose serves as a memory enhancer thus protecting your body against the virus. A booster dose extends the protection against COVID and prevents your body from the emergent variants of this virus.

The guidelines provided by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention include the following:

• Individuals who are five years and older must get the primary dose and the booster dose as recommended by their healthcare professionals if they are eligible.
• Individuals who are five to eleven-year-olds must get the original monovalent booster dose.
• Those aged twelve years and older must receive one updated Moderna bivalent or Pfizer booster dose. It includes all citizens who have received both the primary doses and those who received one or more monovalent booster doses earlier.
• The twelve to seventeen-year-olds can receive the updated Pfizer bivalent booster dose.

So, now you have all the information about the process of registration for a booster dose. Check the available dates of the vaccination centres near your location before booking an appointment slot. 

From 16th March 2022, all citizens above 60 years of age are eligible to receive the booster dose of Covid-19 vaccination. This is because the government has lifted the comorbidity rules for the precautionary dose by allowing everyone to take the booster dose.