Now, people with disabilities can use a Unique Disability Identification (UDID) Card as a Photo ID to register themselves on the CoWIN platform, the Health Ministry said on Monday. This has been done to further facilitate the access to vaccination by disabled people and in this regard, the Centre has written to all the States/UTs to include it as a Photo ID for registration.
It is to be noted, that as per the guidance note issued on CoWIN on March 2, seven prescribed Photo IDs were specified and prescribed for verification of a beneficiary prior to their vaccination.
“In the letter written to the States and UTs, the Union Health Ministry has stated that the UDID card, issued to persons with disability by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, has all the necessary features such as the name, year of birth, gender and photograph of the person, and meets the criteria for use of identification in COVID-19 vaccination,” the government said in a statement.
The necessary provisions for the same are being made and would be available in CoWIN shortly, it further stated. Meanwhile, the Health Ministry has further advised the States and UTs to widely publicise the use of UDID card as a permissible photo ID for accessing Covid vaccination.