COVID Vaccination in Rural Areas – Myths vs. Facts

 New Delhi : Pre-registration for vaccination through online registration and prior booking of appointment is not mandatory to avail of vaccination services.

Anyone, aged 18 years or more, can directly go to the nearest vaccination Center where vaccinator performs the on-site registration and provides vaccination in the same visit.This is also popularly known as “walk-ins”.

The facilitated registration through the Common Service Centers (CSCs) on Co-WIN, is just one of the many modes of registration on Co-WIN. The facilitators such as health workers or ASHAs, also mobilize beneficiaries in rural areas and those residing in urban slums, for on-site registration and vaccination directly at the nearest vaccination centers. The facility for assisted registrations through the 1075 Help Line has also been operationalized.

That, all the above modes, specifically operationalised for rural areas, are functional and enabling equitable access to vaccination in rural areas, is evident from the fact that, as on 13.06.2021, out of the 28.36 crore beneficiaries registered on Co-WIN, 16.45 crore (58%) beneficiaries have been registered in the on-site mode. Also, out of the the total 24.84 crore vaccine doses recorded on Co-WIN as on 13^th June 2021, 19.84 crore doses (nearly 80% of all vaccine doses) have been administered through onsite/ walk-in vaccination.

From 01.05.21 till 12.06.21, out of the total 1,03,585 COVID Vaccination Centers [CVCs] providing vaccination services, 26,114 are operated at the Sub-Health Centers, 26,287 at the Primary Health Centers and 9,441 at the Community Health Centers, amounting to 59.7% of the total vaccination centers. All of these CVCs at the Sub-Health Centers, the Primary Health Centers and the Community Health Centers are in rural areas where people can directly walk-in for on-site registration and vaccination.

Out of the total 69,995 vaccination centers so far classified by states on Co-WIN as rural or urban, 49,883 vaccination centers, i.e. 71%, are located in rural areas.

The coverage of vaccination in tribal area – As per the data available on Co-WIN as on 3rd June, 2021 –

1. Vaccination per million population in tribal districts is higher than the National average.
2. 128 out of 176 Tribal Districts are performing better than all India vaccination coverage.
3. More walk-in vaccinations are happening in Tribal Districts as compared to National average.
4. Gender ratio for people vaccinated is also better in the tribal districts.