Watch this guide as a video
Step 1: Register on the CoWIN website
Go to the CoWIN website (cowin.gov.in) and register using your mobile phone number. One phone number can be used to register up to four family members, so you can book for your entire household under a single account. During registration you will need to provide a valid photo ID — your Aadhaar card number works well here. Make sure your Aadhaar is linked and accessible online before you begin, because you will need those details during the sign-up process.
Step 2: Set up Telegram alerts so you never miss a slot
This is the single most important hack I can share with you. Slots open and vanish in minutes — sometimes seconds. Rather than refreshing the CoWIN website manually all day, join a Telegram group that sends you an instant notification the moment a slot becomes available in your area. You will find links to these groups in the description of my YouTube video, or you can search for them at campsite.bio/vaccine.alerts or under45.in.
Configuring your Telegram notifications correctly
Once you join the group, go into the group's notification settings and switch them to a custom setting with sound turned on. Set a loud, distinct ringtone for that group specifically. The whole point is that when an alert comes in, your phone rings loudly enough to wake you up or pull you away from whatever you are doing — because you will have only a very short window to act. If your phone is on silent or vibrate, you will miss it.
Step 3: Book your slot the moment an alert arrives
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Book a Mock InterviewAs soon as you receive an alert, open the CoWIN website immediately. You may find you are not already logged in, so be ready to enter your registered phone number and the OTP that arrives by SMS. Enter it quickly — the OTP process takes only a few seconds but every second counts here. Once you are logged in, search by your pin code to find available hospitals near you. Enter your pin code and you will see a list of centres with open slots.
Searching by pin code
Use the 'Search by Pin Code' option rather than searching by district — it gives you faster, more targeted results. Enter your 6-digit pin code and the available slots at nearby centres will appear. Select your preferred hospital, choose your time slot, confirm the family members being registered, and complete the booking. Slots are being added to the system actively and numbers are increasing every day, so keep trying if you do not succeed immediately.
What to do on the day of your vaccination
On the day of your appointment, carry your original photo ID — your Aadhaar card or whichever document you registered with. You will be checked against it at the centre. When you arrive, you will be given a token number and called based on your position in the queue. The process at the centre is smooth overall, so do not be anxious about the logistics. Plan to spend around 50 minutes at the centre to account for waiting and the mandatory observation period after your jab.
Side effects to expect after vaccination
After your vaccination, some side effects are completely normal. Fatigue and general body discomfort are common and typically last until the evening of the same day. From my own experience, by around 4:10 PM things started to ease up noticeably. The effects are manageable — think of them as your body responding to the vaccine doing its job. Rest up, stay hydrated, and you should feel back to normal within a day.
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