51% vaccination on Day 2, technical glitches persist in Bengaluru

The second day of Covid-19 vaccination for senior citizens and those aged above 45 with comorbidities, on Tuesday, was marred by technical glitches on the CoWIN portal. According to data released by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), 2,153 senior citizens and comorbid patients were administered the vaccine. With the BBMP keeping 4,200 shots as the target, 51 % of the targeted vaccine shots were administered, as compared to Monday’s 22 %.

Meanwhile, 9,197 senior citizens and comorbid patients were administered the vaccine across the state.

In some hospitals in the city, the Co-WIN portal did not work on Tuesday morning.

“The slow server speed at several locations slowed down the vaccination process in many centres,” said a senior BBMP official.

Even those who wanted to register for the vaccine faced problems with the portal. Several complaints were raised about the server being down while users trying to register. “Whenever we tried to access the portal, it showed the server was down. Another person known to me, said that even though she was able to access the portal, there were no time or date slots available in the hospital,” said Sanjiv Patil, a 68-year-old resident of Indira Nagar in east Bengaluru.

In some cases, people were able to register for the vaccination but did not get a confirmation for the same, a BBMP official added. He added that due to glitches in the portal, many who registered online could not get the vaccine as their details did not appear in the BBMP’s list.

BBMP commissioner N Manjunath Prasad told Hindustan Times that a meeting was held with the health department over these issues. “In the morning meeting, we told them about the glitches we are facing, and they have promised to take it up with the government and get it rectified. But even today (Tuesday), these glitches continue,” he said.

According to reports on social media, some temples, a government school and Bangalore One Centre were listed as vaccination centres even though BBMP has not designated any such places.

Following the vaccination drive on Monday, BBMP had listed out a number of problems in the portal such as list of beneficiaries not being visible in vaccinator module, vaccinators unable to record a list of beneficiaries administered the dose, scheduling vaccination sessions creating confusion, among other technical problems with Co-WIN portal.

Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala, state minister K S Eshwarappa and Wipro founder chairman Azim Premji were among those who received the vaccine in the state on day two of the inoculation drive on Tuesday.

There were no instances of adverse event following immunisation (AEFI), the health department said in a release.

Governor Vala received the vaccine shot at the K C General Hospital at Malleswaram.

A press communique issued by the Raj Bhavan said Vala appealed to all eligible people to take the vaccine and make the country Covid-19 free.

He also lauded the doctors and scientists who worked in a short time to fight against the virus.

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Eshwarappa took the vaccine at Shivamogga Ayurveda College and later posted a photograph on his Twitter handle.

Wipro founder Azim Premji took the shot at Narayana Health City, according the hospital sources.