Wrong data updated in CO-WIN platform causing inconvenience to the jab receivers as many people are not able to download their vaccine certificates, while some people who have already received both doses of vaccine are getting a certificate that only authenticates as first dose recipients.
Bhagirat Mahto, age 47, from Sonahatu in suburban Ranchi, was vaccinated from a government-run session site at Morhabadi on June 12. Without booking an online slot beforehand, he was vaccinated with the first dose of Covishield. He was provided with a handwritten chit that stated his vaccine details on it and was also informed that his vaccination would be available on the CO-WIN platform.
Meanwhile, Bhagirat, working as a security guard at an apartment on Kanke Road, dwelled on, finding that the website evinced him as a non-vaccinated resident after logging in with his registered number on the CO-WIN app on July 14. Bhagirat addressed anxiously, “I only have this handwritten parchi (chit) to prove that I have received the first dose. I need to get my vaccination certificate as people in my Panchayat have decided not to give ration to those who do not get vaccinated.”
Although, Bhagirat is not only the sole victim of “human error” that is supposedly made by “overburdened” data entry staff by all accounts at vaccination centres in Jharkhand.
Correspondingly, on condition of his name confidentiality, a 45-year-old resident of Ratu Road, was vaccinated with his second dose of the vaccine at a government-run session site very recently. Though, after logging in to the CO-WIN app, he was notified that the vaccine registering him over again for a second jab, adding his latest dose as the first of two.
Furthermore, an information technology staffer from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), administering the government in web-based management of the programme, said that it is impossible to make backlog entries on the CO-WIN platform. UNDP staffer added, “the problem is clearly caused due to faulty data entry on intermittent internet connectivity. People who are facing such issues should immediately visit the vaccination Centre where they got vaccinated and ask them to make an entry on the current day. This might delay their second jab by a few days, but they will still get it within the stipulated time period.”
As across the state, the large scale immunization has been conducted, so minor data errors and faulty updates are expected due to technical issues and it should be understood by the residents, he said, further adding that such errors were also experienced on the websites of several global e-commerce sites during delivery of products.
On Wednesday, State immunization officer, Dr Ajit Prasad was approached for his statement. Another vaccination official, being not permitted to address to the media, said people who have not acquired a vaccination certificate for their first dose can right away go for their second dose vaccine without carrying any documentary proof of their first jab.
It is notably that Jharkhand has provided over 7.73 lakh residents with Covid-19 vaccines until the nationwide immunization programme started on January 16.
