'Mayhem': CoWin app glitches, delays cause near stampede at Mumbai vaccine centre

The second phase of India's coronavirus vaccination drive, now to cover senior citizens and people above the age of 45 suffering from co-morbidities, went underway yesterday (Monday, 1 March), with Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking the first jab.

Registration and booking for an appointment for vaccination has to be done through the portal www.cowin.gov.in, it said. Over one million citizens have registered themselves on the Co-WIN portal till 1 pm on Monday, the ministry said in a report.

On day 2, amid reports of CoWIN crashing and systems failing, crowds in Mumbai's BKC Jumbo vaccination centre swelled and boiled over into chaos for a short period of time. The crowd was then brought under control by the authorities by 11 am, once the CoWIN server started functioning.

Videos of the crowd at BKC Jumbo vaccination centre have gone viral on social media, with common folk asking CM Thackeray to intervene.

💉 On Day 2 of the Covid-19 vaccination drive, crowd briefly swells at the BKC jumbo centre in Mumbai after a glitch in the Co-WIN software. 📹 by @tabassum_b pic.twitter.com/yR2sCOcYbo

— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) March 2, 2021

This is BKC jumbo centre #Mumbai. Senior citizens & those with co-morbidities - Most vulnerable sections - facing such crowds, a big risk in itself. Still confusion over registrations & timings it seems.Hope it gets ironed out soon! #COVID19 #COVID19Vaccine @CMOMaharashtra @mybmc pic.twitter.com/VLfiklc0se

— Avni Raja (@avniraja) March 2, 2021

 

State of the Vaccine drive in #BKC #Mumbai Poorly Managed, Zero consideration for first come first serve basis @AUThackeray @OfficeofUT @drharshvardhan @narendramodi #COVID19Vaccination #COVID19Vaccine #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/IfhcIomNab

— Mohit Gaba (@mohitgaba66) March 2, 2021