From May 1, everyone above the age of 18 years will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccination and they can register for their shot from April 24 on the CoWin platform.

It may be mentioned here that the registrations for the latest round of inoculations will open in the next 48 hours on the CoWin platform.

India, in the last 24 hours, recorded 3.14 lakh COVID-19 cases- which is the biggest-ever surge in daily cases surpassing the previous highest tally of the US.

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Owing to this uncontrolled surge, the government has opened COVID-19 Vaccination to all adults for the first time.

According to the new vaccine rules, states and private entities can buy vaccines directly for inoculations.

The centre will continue to vaccinate those declared eligible so far - frontline workers, health workers and those above 45.

Apart from Serum Institute of India's Covishield and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, Russia's Sputnik will soon be used, the government says.

On April 21, the Serum Institute informed that its vaccine would be sold at Rs 400 to states and at Rs 600 to private hospitals and the prices for the Centre would remain the same at Rs 150.

So, if you are 18 and above then you can register for the COVID-19 vaccine online and here is how you do it-

• Open the CoWIN website and click on Register/Sign in Yourself
• Enter your mobile number, click on Get OTP. An OTP should arrive on your phone. Enter the digits on the site, and click Verify
• On the Register for Vaccination page, enter all the details, including photo ID proof, name, gender, and year of birth. Click on Register
• Once registered, you will get the option to schedule an appointment, Click on Schedule next to the name of the person registered
• Enter your pin code and hit Search. The centres in the pin code will show up, select the date and time and click on Confirm
• You can add up to four members through one login. It is easy to reschedule your appointment; the process is similar to how you schedule it

You can also register yourself through the Aarogya Setu app and here's how you do it

• Open the Aarogya Setu app > Click on CoWIN tab on the home screen
• Select Vaccination Registration > Enter Phone Number > Enter OTP
• Click on Verify > You will be directed to the Registration of Vaccination page
• Follow the steps listed in the 'Process for registration through CoWIN portal' guide

It may be mentioned here that every citizen has to take two shots of the vaccine.

According to the CoWIN portal,  the second dose of Covaxin should be taken between 28 days to 42 days after the first dose.

The second dose of Covishield should be taken between 28 days to 56 days after the first dose.