‘64% of citizens are waiting for 2nd dose’

Data reveals shortage of vaccines for a month has affected the vaccination drive in Navi Mumbai

NAVI MUMBAI: For more than a month now, Navi Mumbai has been reeling under a shortage of vaccines. Approximately, 64 per cent of those who have taken their first doses, are still to get their second dose.

As per Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) data, more than 90,000 residents above 45 years are yet to get their second dose, 10,682 health care workers are awaiting the second dose.

Among the front line workers, 13,268 are awaiting the second dose while 34,835 senior citizens are yet to take the second jab. A total of 1.48 lakh-plus people in the city are still waiting for their second dose out of the 2.30 lakh vaccinated.

Shweta Ghosh, 35 years, had been trying to get her senior citizen mother the second dose since May 1. “Twice I went to the jumbo facility in Vashi only to find that the centre had no stock. With the pandemic and heat outside, it is a huge inconvenience to step out for the vaccination and then find that there is no stock. I hope this shortage is addressed soon and a solution is found,” she said.

Medical health officer, Dhanvanti Ghadge, said, “We would make more centres available as and when vaccinations are available. We keep sending requests for more doses and as per the availability, we resume the drive. The supply is intermittent but we will make sure that all get their second doses.”

In the vaccination drive for 18-44 years, till now 2,422 beneficiaries have taken the jab.

From Thursday, the NMMC started vaccination of 18-44 years at municipal hospitals of Vashi and Airoli. The 18-plus beneficiaries have been having a tough time getting a slot booked as within seconds the slots are getting full.

NMMC chief, Abhijit Bangar, said, “As of now, we have three centres and are ready to increase the centres but the problem is with the supply. As of now, our focus is to give fair chance to everyone and nobody is able to book their slots via any influence. No organised booking for a group is done.

“The gap of four days from May 1 was the largest so far. Even then, we had a stock of Covaxin for the second dose, which we had kept aside earlier. So, all those who had Covaxin as the first dose will get their second dose. As far as Covishield is concerned, the state government is aware of how many vials we need for the second dose and the same will be made available intermittently. So, there is no need for people to panic.”

Till now, the NMMC has received 3,000 vials of Covishield and 5,000 of Covaxin for the 18-plus drive, while 2,76,000 vials of Covishield and 34,240 vials of Covaxin were received for the 45-plus age-group. Even as the vaccination drive was shut from May 1, the second dose drive of Covaxin continued at limited centres of NMMC. After receiving 9,000 Covishield vials on Wednesday, the drive resumed later on the day.