COVID-19 vaccination: Paytm users can now find, book vaccine shots inside app

Users looking for a vaccination slot for either Covishield or Covaxin will be able to find the nearest vaccination centre using the Paytm app — then book a slot, if one is available.

FILE PHOTO: A Paytm placard at a local store. Users can now use the app to find vaccination slots in the country.  (Reuters)

Digital payments and wallet service Paytm on Monday announced that its app now supports booking of vaccination slots for users, adding new functionality to its existing vaccine center locator tool that was recently introduced by the company last month.

Announced on Monday, the new vaccine slot booking feature will allow users to quickly book a slot for vaccination after locating a centre that is nearby. The booking will be done via CoWIN, integrating with features offered by the government to developers to connect with the vaccine booking platform, as Livemint reports.

Users who are looking for a vaccination slot for either Covishield or Covaxin will be able to find the nearest vaccination centre using the app, then book a slot if one is available. The feature will work for all users eligible for the vaccine, so any Paytm user above the age of 18 who is able to register on CoWIN should be able to use the new features on the app.

Last month, we had reported that the company had added the ability for users to quickly search for and discover any slots available in centres close to them, from the Vaccine Finder tool inside the Paytm app. The company says that over the last several weeks since the vaccination program opened up to all adults across India, users have checked for the availability of vaccination slots using the Vaccine Finder feature on the Paytm app, according to the report.

From instant alerts to now directly booking on your Paytm app – the new & improved Vaccine Slot Finder tool is here.

Give it a go! 📱 💉

— Paytm 😷 💉 (@Paytm) June 14, 2021

Using the app should be simple enough – if one has already used CoWIN in the past. Users will have to log in or register using their number, then narrow down a centre near them using their district or the nearest PIN code. If you don't mind travelling a little or have your own transportation, it is usually better to use the district option. After selecting their age and the dose number, users can then book a slot accordingly, based on availability at the nearest centre.