In a first, Red Cross to start paid doorstep Covid-19 vaccination

: Humanitarian organisation Red Cross will start paid Covid-19 vaccination facility at residents’ doorsteps in Jamshedpur, making it the first city to do so, officials said on Sunday. However, the facility will only be available for those above 65 years of age, physically challenged and bedridden persons.

The facility be initiated within a week. “We will start our services as soon as we get the first consignment of 6,000 doses of Covishield by June 10-11,” Red Cross-Jamshedpur general secretary Vijay Singh said.

The organisation will also start the paid vaccination facility costing ₹850 at its district building. People will not be required to register online for the same, officials said. “People will be registered at counters in Red Cross building on the basis of their Aadhaar cards and will be given the shot after short while for Jamshedpur will be the first city in the state to per dose. There will be two counters for people in the age group of 18-45 years, and one for 45-65 age group,” Red CrossJamshedpur general secretary Vijay Singh said.

However, for the doorstep service for people , the organisation will charge an extra ₹100, Singh said. “Our teams will have doctors on board and administer vaccine after checking the people for other ailments such as liver, kidney, heart,” he said.

Red Cross-Jamshedpur has ordered 12, 000 doses of Covishield and Covaxin each in addition to 10, 000 doses of Sputnik vaccine.

“We ordered 6,000 doses a month ago and national committee of Red Cross and Jharkhand Governor have written to the manufacturing companies to deliver the vaccines by second week of this month,” hoped Singh.