Given the criticism of the vulnerability of the CoWIN platform, the delay in obtaining vaccination spots and a digital divide that benefits a fewThe Union health ministry on Saturday defended the CoWIN, saying it could “not be hacked”.
The ministry added that the claim that the digital divide is depriving people of vaccination is a myth, as more than 50 percent of total doses given to date were given through walk-in registries.
In a press release titled “Busting Vaccination Myths”, the Ministry of Health said that CoWIN cannot be hacked and that the OTP (one-time password) and Captcha functions cannot be bypassed.
“We state with absolute certainty that no violations have been found to date. No scripts can bypass the OTP check and CAPTCHA to automatically enroll a person.”
It is said that registrations through CoWIN help prevent overarching events as it prevents overcrowding in vaccination centers.
“There have been some unsubstantiated media coverage of the CoWIN platform that has created a digital divide and allowed unscrupulous elements to hack the system to help some sections of the population. The lack of a basic understanding of the complexities of a vaccination test has led to incorrect results Flagging citizens who cannot find slots on the platform due to problems with the platform itself. These reports are false and are not supported by complete information on the matter, “the ministry said in its statement.
It added that CoWIN is the technological backbone of vaccination in India. It includes all the components of the vaccination process. From validating the delivery of authentic vaccines and administering vaccination centers to registering and obtaining certification by citizens, the entire value chain is managed through the CoWIN platform.
On the unavailability of vaccination places
The ministry was investigating the issue of vaccination unavailability and said the “noise” surfaced after registrations opened on April 28 for the 18-44 age group.
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“One would be amazed to learn how skewed the demand for vaccines in this age group has been. The ratio of registrations to administered doses is 6.5: 1, which was an alarming 11: 1 a week earlier,” said the Statement said.
In other words, one dose of vaccine was given for every six registrations with CoWIN.
“Overall, with over 244 million registrations and over 167 million receiving at least one dose (as of 7pm data on May 29th), the shortage explains the current process, which will naturally catch up over time, and a wider range of vaccines “said the ministry.
Doses given so far
According to the statement, as on Saturday, over 167 million people in India were given at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. According to the ministry, that means coverage of around 12.21 percent, or almost one in eight Indian people who are vaccinated.
“If you look at the actual target population of 18+ of 944.7 million, the number rises to about 17.67 percent or two in eleven Indians. This data is updated in real time on the CoWIN website and is available to everyone, right on the district level in a state, “the statement said.
Countering claims that online registration for vaccination sites puts a large segment of the population (who do not have internet access) in a disadvantageous position, the ministry said offline walk-ins have been an integral part of the vaccination process since January.
“Almost 55 percent of the 211.8 million doses administered to date were administered through walk-ins. The brilliance of CoWIN lies in its ability to allow changes on the fly for the proportion of slots available between online registration and offline walk-in . “it said.
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