COVID-19 Relief: Paytm Launches Vaccine Finder Tool That Sends Real-Time Availability Alerts

Digital payments platform Paytm has announced the launch of ‘COVID-19 Vaccine Finder,’ an integrated platform to help citizens check the availability of vaccination slots – on its Mini App store. The platform will help citizens to check the availability of vaccination slots for a specific date by individually entering different pin codes or district details along with age group (18+ or 45+), the company said in a statement. Notably, if slots are unavailable, users can select the option for real-time alerts from Paytm once there’s availability. India has opened vaccination for everyone above 18 years, but a shortage in vaccines have resulted in limited appointment slots. Users must note that the Paytm ‘COVID-19 Vaccine Finder’ only helps users find slots, and the booking is carried via the CoWIN platform (website and app) and integrated service within the Aarogya Setu app.

To find the COVID-19 vaccine slots via Paytm, open the app and head to Mini App Store section at the bottom. Look for the Vaccine Finder option and enter your pin code/ district, and select between 18+ and 45+ age groups. In case of unavailability, click on the ‘Notify me when slots are available’ option to get real-time alerts.

The development was shared by Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma in a post on Twitter. In a statement, the company added, “The automated process reduces the hassle and ordeal of refreshing the platform for new slots repeatedly. The data is sourced on a real-time basis from the CoWIN API where a slot can be booked to take the vaccination.”

Meanwhile, several platforms have set up their own COVID-19 vaccine slot tracker and finder to ease the vaccination process. WhatsApp recently updated the WhatsApp MyGov Corona Helpdesk chatbot that was first launched in March 2020. The process to find a vaccine centre with availability is simple, and users have to save the number 9013151515 on their Android or iOS smartphone. Once the MyGov Corona Helpdesk chatbot is launched, WhatsApp users will need to send ‘hi’ or ‘hello,’ and an automated response will ask users to select an option for their COVID-related info. The feature also works in Hindi.

Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Telegram.