The government has said that Covid-19 vaccine beneficiaries can now book their slot through the MyGov Corona Helpdesk on WhatsApp. Besides, the popular instant messaging app will also allow users to locate their nearest vaccination centre.
To contact MyGov Corona Helpdesk chatbot, users need to send ‘Book Slot’ to WhatsApp number 9013151515. This will generate a six-digit one-time password on the respective mobile phone number. Users will then choose a preferred date and location, based on the pincode and vaccine type. All users can follow this sequence to get a confirmation of their centre and day of their vaccine appointment.
"Paving a new era of citizen convenience. Now, book COVID19 vaccine slots easily on your phone within minutes. Send ‘Book Slot’ to MyGovIndia Corona Helpdesk on WhatsApp, Verify OTP, Follow the steps," Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted.
WhatsApp said that the MyGov Corona Helpdesk on WhatsApp, since its launch in March 2020, has emerged as one of most authentic sources of COVID-related information during the pandemic and served as a critical instrument in fighting the public-health crisis for over 4 crore users across the country.
Earlier on August 5, MyGov and WhatsApp had introduced the ability for users to download vaccine certificates from the chatbot; and so far, over 32 lakh certificates have been downloaded by users across the country.
MyGov CEO Abhishek Singh said the MyGov Corona Helpdesk has been a path-breaking technological solution that benefited millions of citizens across the nation.
"Since its launch, MyGov Corona Helpdesk, enabled with support from Haptik and Turn.io, has evolved into a go-to platform that is not only helping citizens with authentic Corona-related information but is now also aiding them in the process of vaccine booking as also finding vaccination centers and slots and downloading vaccination certificates," he added.
It is enabling digital inclusion in the true sense as most people find the AI based interface enabled on WhatsApp easier to navigate, he further said.
"Our collaboration has unlocked technology's potential to extend benefits to citizens at scale. Judging by the large numbers of people who have placed their trust in the MyGov Corona Helpdesk chatbot and availed themselves of the benefits, this is an important step in our journey to become a digitally empowered country. As a platform, we are fully committed to supporting our Government's efforts to help fight this pandemic," WhatsApp Public Policy Director Shivnath Thukral said.
With PTI Inputs
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