The South 24-Parganas administration on Monday launched a WhatsApp chatbot for residents of the district 45 years or older to book slots for their Covid vaccine jabs.

Officials of the district administration said people willing to book slots through the chatbot have to WhatsApp “Hi” to 8335999000 and answer a few questions related to the sender’s age, Covid-19 status and the vaccination status.

The person will get confirmation about the slot and location of the vaccine centre through WhatsApp, an official said.

The district magistrate of South 24-Parganas, P. Ulganathan, said: “The idea is to get the maximum number of people vaccinated without causing them the inconvenience of standing in queues.”

The chatbot service covers nine vaccination centres in the district — run by the Rajpur-Sonarpur, Maheshtala, Budge Budge, Pujali, Baruipur, Joynagar-Majilpur and Diamond Harbour municipalities, and in Kakdwip and Canning.

Officials said the service would later be opened to people in the 18-44 age group.

The Calcutta Municipal Corporation and the New Town authorities had earlier opened similar chatbots for residents to book their vaccination slots.

Doorstep jabs

The South 24-Parganas administration will on Thursday launch a service called “Vaccine on Wheels” to inoculate Sonarpur residents 80 years or older in their neighbourhoods. A vehicle carrying medical staff and a refrigerator stocked with doses will move from one location to another to vaccinate elderly people.

“We will announce in advance the travel schedule,” said an official of the district administration.