India’s vaccine rollout has been slower than expected. However, it gets fresh impetus with vaccinations available for all Indians over 18 from 1 May 2021. Registrations for this started via the CoWin app and portal. There was a rush to register. According to reports, there were lakhs of registrations attempted each minute, causing the portal to crash.
Announcements were made on social media inviting people to get registered for their shots so they could receive their vaccinations at a close-by medical facility.
Registration began on 28 April at 4 PM.
Predictably, there was a rush to get registered for getting the shot. This, in spite of the significant vaccine hesitancy prevalent among the citizenry.
Reports of adverse reactions to the vaccine have resulted in vaccine hesitancy. However, those reactions are statistically insignificant and the benefits of getting vaccinated overwhelmingly outweigh any risk.
Thanks to the WhatsApp University of Misinformation, there are messages circulating that the vaccine should not be taken during periods. As this gynecologist clarifies, this is quite baseless and it is safe to take the vaccine regardless of menstruation.
The site and the app became unresponsive because of the sheer numbers trying to register.
In many instances, this was the message people received, even though they were entitled to register by virtue of their being over 18 years of age.
Of course, there were jokes.
The servers seemed unable to cope with the load. So the tweeple made memes while they waited.
Ever
With the mad rush to register, this was probably a foreseeable result.
This was bound to happen – some felt that this should have been planned for.
But to no avail.
The site could not cope with the sheer numbers.
Some were able to register but did not get an appointment for vaccination.
According to the Arogya Setu Twitter handle, well over one crore registrations were made possible on the first day. Vaccinations will be conducted at over 57 thousand sites. We can but hope for a smooth vaccine rollout for the 18 to 45 age group so that the current misery of our people can be controlled at least to some extent.
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