CoWIN launches interface for info on a person’s vaccination status

In a bid to enable an Aadhaar-like authentication service for vaccination status, Co-WIN has developed a new application programme interface (API) called ‘Know Your Customer’s/ Client’s Vaccination Status’ (KYC-VS), a Health Ministry release said on Friday.

To use this API, an individual needs to enter his/her mobile number and name. Thereafter, they will get an OTP, which has to be entered. Co-WIN then sends a response to the verifying entity on the individual’s status of vaccination, which could be – person is not vaccinated, person is partially vaccinated or the person is fully vaccinated.

“This response will be digitally signed and can be shared instantly with the verifying entity. A real-life example could be when at the time of booking a railway ticket, an individual adds the necessary details for buying the ticket and, if required, the concerned entity also gets the vaccination status in the same transaction, with the due consent of the individual,” the release said.

According to the release, KYC-VS is both consent-based and privacy preserving. Additionally, in order to facilitate quick integration and faster adoption, the Co-WIN team has prepared a webpage with the API, which may be embedded in any system, which will allow for seamless integration with any system.

Besides that, the use cases pointed out that this service may be used by any service provider, private or public, for whom verifying an individual’s vaccination status is critical for facilitating the service requested, the release further added. The Hindu BusinessLine