Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai) - HT Navi Mumbai Live
16.90% spike in vax MMR in last 15 days
THANE: With a regular supply of vaccine stock since a fortnight, a spike of around 16.90% is seen in vaccination drives across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). With the vaccination drive picking up pace in the last few weeks, the response for taking the first jab continues to be higher. Only 11% of the population has been fully vaccinated till now in MMR, while 27% have got at least the first dose.
The MMR consists of Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation, Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation and Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation. In July, these cities faced acute shortage of vaccination.
Till now, MMR has administered 30.30 lakh vaccine doses. Among these, 21.30 lakh have received the first dose and nine lakh are fully vaccinated. Until August 31, when the vaccination drive had started to gather pace, there were only 25.90 lakh vaccinations. Despite the vaccination drive being halted in the festive season for a few days, the last fortnight has noted a 16.90% hike of inoculations across the MMR.
It was in mid-August that the district received a consistent supply of vaccine doses. Manish Renge, district health officer, Thane, said, “On an average, we have more than 30,000 vaccinations that take place daily within the MMR region. We get vaccine doses two to three times a week and hence are able to provide ample stock to all the civic bodies in the district. People are not any more sceptical and this is also one of the reasons for the increased inoculation in MMR.”
More beneficiaries are currently opting for walk-in vaccinations rather than online slot booking. “For the convenience of the beneficiaries, we have made provisions for walk-in vaccinations. Among the 50-odd vaccination centres, we only have three online sessions. Rest are all providing walk-in vaccinations. We have administered more than 11 lakh vaccine doses till date,” said Vipin Sharma, TMC commissioner.
Close on the heels, the NMMC has vaccinated more than nine lakh beneficiaries with at least the first dose, “We have only around four lakh who are fully vaccinated and have a long way to go. We are conducting regular vaccination drives across the city,” said Abhijit Bangar, NMMC commissioner. KDMC has managed to vaccinate more than seven lakh beneficiaries with at least the first dose till now.
Response at private centres dips
The response for private vaccination drives within the MMR has decreased considerably. Unlike earlier, there are hardly around 10,000 vaccinations that take place at private centres across MMR. Similarly, there is a 5% raise in the number of people availing private vaccination facilities for second dose compared to the response for first jab in the last few weeks.
“With easy availability of vaccines at government centres, only those who can afford will avail the vaccine doses at private centres. As most people who are financially capable have already taken the first dose when the availability began at private centres, the number of people coming for the second dose continues to be higher,” said a medical practitioner from a private hospital in Navi Mumbai.