There won't be any walk-in or on-site registrations for vaccinations for beneficiaries in the 18 to 44 age category for now in Chandigarh till the district receives more vaccines, the district administration declared on Monday. On Monday, the Central government allowed walk-in registration for vaccination in the 18-44 age group. However, the option was only open at government-run Covid vaccination centres for now. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had stated that making online appointments mandatory for inoculations in the 18-44 age group has so far prevented overcrowding at the vaccination centres. But walk-in registration had now been opened up for this age group in order to prevent vaccine wastage. However, minutes after the Centre’s announcement, the Chandigarh administration on Monday said that until it doesn’t have sufficient vaccine stock, it will allow jabs for people who register themselves on CoWin. UT Adviser Manoj Parida, while speaking to The Indian Express, confirmed, “No walk-in for 18 plus till the time UT receives more vaccine stock. We will continue with vaccination of 18 plus only through prior registration.” Director Health Services Dr Amandeep Kang too said, “Only appointment-based vaccination is allowed for beneficiaries in the 18 to 44 age category. Onsite registration will be done only for facilitated cohort institution vaccination camps.” Residents in the age group of 18 to 44 years have been facing tough time while booking a slot at the Cowin portal. Residents say that the moment the slots open on the portal at 10am, they get booked. In Chandigarh, till May 24 as many as 3,19,988 people have been vaccinated. Of this, 21,758 people are from the 18 to 44 age category who have got their first dose while eight of them have got their second dose. As many as 1,02,672 are between 45 to 60 who have got their first dose and 13,118 have got their second dose in this age group. There were 74,354 people above 60 years who got vaccinated with the first dose and 33,131 people who got their second dose.
