How to Make Corrections in COVID-19 Vaccine Certificate?

You can make your vaccine certificate correction online through the CoWIN app or website in a few simple steps. Here is how you can go about it:

• Visit the CoWIN website; click on sign in if you have a profile (The register option is only for those who have not signed up yet on the portal)
• You have to sign in with your mobile number – the same number you use for registration
• Once you click on sign-in, you will receive an OTP on your number to verify your profile. Enter the OTP in the space provided and complete your sign-in process

Select your issue under the ‘Raise an issue’ option. The options available include:

• CoWIN name correction or correction regarding age/ gender/ photo ID/ CoWIN mobile number correction/ Aadhaar card/ PAN Card/ Passport number

• Merging of multiple doses certificates into one final vaccination certificate

• Adding passport details to the COVID-19 vaccine certificate for international travel/ travelling abroad

• Reporting an unknown number/ member registered with your CoWIN account

• However, when it comes to correction, you have to go to the ‘Raise an issue’ option and click on the certificate correction button to start your CoWIN certificate correction. The only thing you can do is name correction in your vaccination certificate, date of birth, gender, address, and number. Moreover, you can correct the details of your COVID-19 vaccine certificate only once, so do it with care. The disclaimer on the CoWIN website says - “Citizens can edit their certificate only one time, and updated information will appear on your final certificate’.

• Once you finish correcting your details, check it once again to avoid any possibility of error, as you will not be able to make further changes. Submit and download the final certificate for your reference and use.

You can also make name correction in your vaccination certificate online or other corrections through other government-certified apps like Arogya Setu, Umang, or Digilocker. The process on each app will remain pretty much the same.

It is crucial to identify and rectify any errors in your vaccine certificate because otherwise, it could affect the quality and frequency of your movement within and outside India. Travel officials now see the proof of vaccination through the vaccination certificate as a prerequisite for boarding flights and travelling to a destination. If the details on your vaccine certificate and other important documents like the Aadhar card, PAN card, and passport don’t corroborate, it can pose a serious problem and lead to rejections of visa, travel, entry, and so on. Moreover, the vaccine certificate is also used in offices and public spaces like movie theatres, malls, and restaurants at times. So, it is best to be prompt about correcting errors.

While the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic have died down, its aftermath has left us with many valuable lessons. During the heat of the pandemic, people realised the immense value of human life and how vital it is to have a financial backup during a medical emergency or health crisis. This realisation led to a rise in the number of people buying health insurance and life insurance in particular. A health insurance plan was to cover the medical expenses that came with the treatment of COVID-19, and life insurance was to receive financial support in the demise of a loved one (usually the income earner of a family). Both medical insurance and life insurance provided immense help to buyers during the pandemic. But the slowdown of COVID-19 does not mean you should not renew your health insurance plan because if COVID-19 taught us anything, it is to always stay prepared in the face of an unexpected health eventuality.

Health insurance provides the necessary financial support during various medical scenarios, including lifestyle ailments, terminal and critical diseases, accidents and injuries arising due to them, and other situations. Without health insurance, paying for medical expenses out-of-pocket can get very expensive. Given that the rate of medical inflation is always at a high, it does not take much time for hospital costs to put a dent in your savings. This is why it is crucial to have health insurance at all times.

Apart from the financial coverage, there are many health insurance tax benefits as well, including the return of a specific percentage of premiums as tax deductions under section 80D of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

The government of India has made it very convenient and hassle-free to do vaccine certificate correction online. The entire process is a breeze and takes a few minutes. There are also steps on how to go about it on the CoWIN portal itself. On completion of the correction, your old certificate will automatically get deleted, and a new revised one will show on your member profile.