Nishchay Chaturvedi, a Bengaluru based entrepreneur, walked into Apollo Hospital Bannerghatta on May 1, the first day of the third phase of India’s vaccination drive against COVID-19. The 41-year-old had registered through the CoWIN app a couple of days ago and on Saturday morning, was able to get a slot for vaccination the same day.
“I got the 11 am to 1 pm slot and reached the hospital at 10.30 am. I was seventh in queue by the time I got inside. By 11 am, there were about 100 people at the location, most under 45. There were a few senior citizens too,” he told TNM. Nishchay got the first dose of Covishield and said that it was priced at Rs 850.
However, Nishchay’s case was an exception - most people in Bengaluru had the opposite experience where they didn’t get slots for vaccination. A number of people replied to our query on Twitter. While most from Bengaluru, save some, said that they got no slots, many from Tamil Nadu and Chennai said that while they had got slots, these were auto-cancelled. Many from Gujarat though reported that they were able to get vaccinated on Saturday.
This comes even as several states said that they will not be able to start phase 3 of the COVID-19 vaccination drive – that targets all above 18 years of age – on May 1 as they do not have enough stock of vaccines. Only six states said they would start their vaccination drives on Saturday – Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh – and these would also reportedly be ‘token’ drives, limited to a few districts.
In Bengaluru, most people said that they didn’t get slots for vaccination. A couple of them, however, reported that there were a few slots available at ESI Hospital in Indiranagar and Shanthinagar, but these got filled up quite quickly.
Have heard of slots in ESI Hospital, UPHC Shanti Nagar, Appolo, Artyem Hospital - all friends.
— Navin Madhavan (@madnavin) May 1, 2021
Lot of people finding slots through the website - search by District BBMP and not Pincodes pls.
However, Harsh, a 24-year-old who went to Shanthinagar UPHC after getting a slot for vaccination, told TNM that the personnel there said they were not vaccinating those below 45 years of age.
When asked why the CoWIN portal showed availability of vaccines for those above 18, Harsh said that a woman working at the UPHC told him and some others who had booked slots that it was a glitch in the platform and that she had informed the same to the supervisor.
Nitika, a 28-year-old, said that she saw slots available in HSR Layout at Apollo clinic as well as ESI Hospital in Indiranagar, but they were sold out soon. She told TNM that she did not see any slots available at Electronic City, which is more accessible to her.
Two people – Vetriventhan and Sowmya - @vetrijedi and @sowmyarao_ respectively on Twitter – told TNM that they were able to book a slot for vaccination at Shanthinagar UPHC. Two others said that they had also got slots there as well.
Got for Shanti Nagar UPHC for tomorrow.
— Sowmya (@sowmyarao_) May 1, 2021
me. Shantinagar PHC for tomorrow
— anilkarat (@anilkarat) May 1, 2021
I have a slot for today. Do you know where this is? Address / Contact Details?
— Harsh (@harshk2301) May 1, 2021
In some other places, including many in Tamil Nadu, people reported that while they got vaccination slots initially, these were auto-cancelled on May 1. One person said that though he got a slot in Apollo Seshadripuram, in Bengaluru, he was told to come back on Monday as the hospital is out of stock for vaccines.
I got a slot in Apollo and went to Apollo Seshadripuram. They told today and tomorrow, vaccines are not available and asked me to come on Monday.
— josaphat farrar (@josaphatfarrar1) May 1, 2021
Same with me as well! Booked but hospital asks to wait till Monday
— Lalith K (@lalith6487) May 1, 2021
I booked a slot for May 8th it got auto cancelled,booked again now for May 17. Jeyam multispecality hospital,https://t.co/QgR4YyZOVn slots available before May 17. Except this hospital none have slots for 18+ in trichy pic.twitter.com/mFqf1nwfZ1
— muthu nithiin (@muthunithiin) May 1, 2021
Hi Dhanya, I had got a slot for today(Chennai). It got auto cancelled.
— Berty Thomas (@BertyThomas) May 1, 2021
I put up a tool for anyone to check if there are slots in any centres in India for the 18-45 age group:https://t.co/VXNLXkLu8C
Hope that helps!
At Korattur, Chennai
— Santhosh Kalarkaarar (@santhoshrosh) May 1, 2021
was able to book a slot in Maduravoyal, chennai for 8-Mar. Just got a message though that it is cancelled !
— Anand L (@lanand1985) May 1, 2021
Got cancelled. pic.twitter.com/NnyccuGOoB
— RokrEM30 (@rokrem30) May 1, 2021
In Trichy, booked for a slot on May 8 but got cancelled. Have rebooked on 17th May
— Renga Pragadeshwar (@pragadeshwar_r) May 1, 2021
In Udupi, few PHCs have it. But many Pvt hospitals have cancelled the scheduled slots.
— Suchi SA (@suchi_a) May 1, 2021
Perhaps because of this rule by the central government. They asked them to send the previous vials back (lower priced ones) https://t.co/XoEC9EduQ0
Yes, i booked a slot at Apollo ,greams road and it got auto cancelled.
— Venkatesh K (@venkaatesh1986) May 1, 2021
Apollo Hosp Vanagaram
— Barani Vaitheesvaran (@BaraniVaith) May 1, 2021
In Gujarat, several people reported having got their first shots, as well as slots for vaccination.
Happening in most distrcits in Gujarat. A few friends got the shot already. I've an scheduled appointment but it got cancelled.
— Pavan Kumar (@pavanmehta) May 1, 2021
Dhanya mam, i got it today .
— ഞാൻ (@adipoliMacha) May 1, 2021
18-44 Age Category.
Place - Sumati School, Ahmedabad Corporation, Gujarat.
Vaccine - Covishield.
I hope this information helps
In Ahmedabad. pic.twitter.com/pzhn2QeZ5f
— Jignesh (@thisisjignesh) May 1, 2021
One of my friends is getting vaccinated today in Surat
— Sudhu (@Sudhu25556886) May 1, 2021
Age -22
Vaccinated in first slot; Rajkot, Gujarat
— Anuraj Gupta (@Anuraj_speaks) May 1, 2021