Students going abroad can get 2nd vax dose in 28 days: BMC

MUMBAI: After the Central government gave its approval, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday announced bringing down the minimum gap for a second dose of Covishield from the existing 84 days to 28 days for students going abroad, those travelling for work and those participating in Tokyo Olympics.

This follows a week after the Central government had asked all the state governments to bring down the interval gap for Covishield’s second dose to 28 days. For this, the Central government had given three categories which included students who have to take foreign travel for educational purposes, persons who have to take up jobs in foreign countries followed by athletes, sportspersons and accompanying staff of Indian contingent attending International

Olympics games in Tokyo, Japan.

The BMC, is since over 15 days, is vaccinating students who have secured admission to foreign universities, for free. However, with the revised direction, free vaccination will also be done for persons going for jobs in foreign countries and those travelling to Tokyo for Olympics.

The civic body in a circular issued by municipal commissioner IS Chahal has stated that free vaccination for the abovementioned categories will be conducted three days a week on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday on a walk-in basis. The BMC has designated seven civic-run hospitals in the city to undertake the above vaccination drive. This includes Dahisar jumbo centre, Kasturba, KEM, Sevenhills, Cooper, Shatabdi, and Rajawadi hospitals.

In the circular, the BMC has made it mandatory for the above three categories to carry valid documents with them to prove their eligibility for vaccination. For students travelling for educational purposes, admission confirmation letter of the foreign university, visa form issued by the foreign university followed by persons travelling to a foreign destination for work, a letter from the employer is mandatory. In the case of those travelling for the Tokyo Olympics, a letter from the concerned sports department will be sufficient, according to BMC. The above arrangement of giving Covishield doses in 28 days gap for the above categories will be an arrangement valid till August 31, 2021, for now, according to BMC.

Meanwhile, until Tuesday, the BMC vaccinated over 3,100 students who are heading to foreign countries for educational purposes. On Tuesday, 75,867 citizens were vaccinated.

Since January 16, 2021, 4,187,747 citizens have been vaccinated in the city.