Explained: What is KYC-VS, the new update on CoWIN to check vaccination status?

As the reopening gathers speed, CoWIN has got an update — 'Know Your Customer's/Client's Vaccination Status' (KYC-VS). Here are the details.

A beneficiary receives a dose of Covid-19 vaccine, during a vaccination drive at Motilal Nehru Medical college in Prayagraj, Sept. 10, 2021. (PTI Photo)

With the economy gradually re-opening, the government has come out with a way for people to check the Covid vaccination status of their employers, clients or service providers.

The Health Ministry on Friday introduced an update on the CoWIN IT platform, where beneficiaries book Covid-19 vaccination appointments and download the digital vaccination certificates. The new update is called the Know Your Customer’s/Client’s Vaccination Status (KYC-VS).

What is the KYC-VS?

KYC-VS is a new application programming interface (API) launched on the CoWIN platform. The new feature will enable entities to check an individual’s status of vaccination through CoWIN.

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Why has the new feature been added to CoWIN?

The health ministry said that it has been developed for purposes where an entity does not need to see the vaccination certificate in full, and would just need to know whether an individual has been vaccinated or not.

“As socio-economic activities are being gradually revived while maintaining everyone’s safety, there is a need for a way to digitally convey the status of individuals’ vaccination to entities with whom they may be engaging with for any or all reasons, as employees, passengers, residents,” the health ministry said.

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Where can this feature be commonly accessed?

The government has specifically cited common instances where the new feature will be helpful.

First, when an enterprise or employer may like to know the vaccination status of its employees to resume functions in offices, workplaces.

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Second, when the railways may want to get the status of vaccination of the passengers booking seats on trains.
Third, when airlines may want to get the status of vaccination of passengers buying tickets, and/or airports may want to allow only vaccinated passengers to pass through.

Fourth, it can be used by hotels, when they want to know the vaccination status of the residents at the time they are checking into the hotel, or at the time of making online bookings.

How will KYC-VS work?

It will be an Adhaar-like authentication service through CoWIN. To use this function, the beneficiary needs to enter her mobile number and name. Thereafter, they will get an OTP which they have to enter.

In return, CoWIN will send a response to the verifying entity on the individual’s status of vaccination, which will be as follows: 0 – Person is not vaccinated; 1 – Person is partially vaccinated; 2 – Person is fully vaccinated.

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This response will be digitally signed and can be shared instantly with the verifying entity, the health ministry said.

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Has the new API addressed issues related privacy?

Yes. The health ministry said that the new feature is both consent-based and privacy-preserving. “A real-life example could be when at the time of booking a railway ticket, an individual will input the necessary details for buying the ticket and if required, the concerned entity will also get the vaccination status in the same transaction, with the due consent of the individual,” the health ministry said.

Kaunain Sheriff M

Kaunain Sheriff M is an award-winning investigative journalist and the National Health Editor at The Indian Express. He is the author of Johnson & Johnson Files: The Indian Secrets of a Global Giant, an investigation into one of the world’s most powerful pharmaceutical companies. With over a decade of experience, Kaunain brings deep expertise in three areas of investigative journalism: law, health, and data. He currently leads The Indian Express newsroom’s in-depth coverage of health. His work has earned some of the most prestigious honours in journalism, including the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism, the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) Award, and the Mumbai Press Club’s Red Ink Award. Kaunain has also collaborated on major global investigations. He was part of the Implant Files project with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which exposed malpractices in the medical device industry across the world. He also contributed to an international investigation that uncovered how a Chinese big-data firm was monitoring thousands of prominent Indian individuals and institutions in real time. Over the years, he has reported on several high-profile criminal trials, including the Hashimpura massacre, the 2G spectrum scam, and the coal block allocation case. Within The Indian Express, he has been honoured three times with the Indian Express Excellence Award for his investigations—on the anti-Sikh riots, the Vyapam exam scam, and the abuse of the National Security Act in Uttar Pradesh. ... Read More

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