Noida, Gzb residents go to Delhi for jabs
NOIDA/ GHAZIABAD: With vaccinations against Covid-19 opening up across the country from May 1 for the 18-44 years category, youngsters in Noida and Ghaziabad had been eagerly waiting for their jabs. While many people registered themselves at the cowin.gov.in portal and the Aarogya Setu app for the third phase of the vaccination, many could not find slots in Noida and Ghaziabad. Only one private hospital in each district was showing slots on the government portals for vaccination of 18-44-yearolds, but this was also found fully booked through May 31 on the first day itself.
Dejected, some people decided to book a slot for vaccinations in neighbouring Delhi.
Amit Kumar, 28, a resident of Ghaziabad’s Vasundhara, said he and his sister Saanchi, 19, got vaccinated at a school in Kirti Nagar on Thursday. “I had to book a Delhi slot as no slot was available in Noida or Ghaziabad. I needed the jab urgently as I work in sales and have to be out on the field. Hence, the chances of me getting infected are high. There is no address restriction on the government portal so I booked a slot,” he said, adding that their Aadhaar cards were checked at the booth after which they were administered the shots as per appointment.
Slots are not available for the 18-44 years category in Noida and Ghaziabad’s government hospitals as it has not been rolled out by the Uttar Pradesh state government yet. While government centres need state nod and stock to administer jabs, private centres can procure stock on their own and conduct drives.
Currently, due to a shortage of Covid-19 vaccines, the state government is administering doses for the 18-44 years age group at all centres only in “worst-hit” districts, classified as those which have at least 9,000 active Covid cases.
Hence, vaccinations for this category are underway in Lucknow, Kanpur, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Meerut and Bareilly districts only.
As of Thursday, while Gautam Budh Nagar had 8,525 active cases, Ghaziabad has 6,915. Lucknow, on the other hand, had 29,827 active cases, while Gorakhpur had 9,154.
Somya Sharma, 22, a resident of Sector 50 in Noida, said she booked a slot in a government school in Pandora Road in Delhi to get vaccinated on Thursday. “I had been frantically searching for a slot in Noida but then decided to change the location to Delhi to book a slot for my vaccination. My address was not a problem. In fact, one of my friends, who studies at Delhi University and has an address of his hometown in Assam on his Aadhaar card, also got vaccinated along with me in Delhi. There are many people in Delhi whose hometown address is on their Aadhaar card, but they won’t go back to their hometowns now to get vaccinated,” she said.
Officials said it is possible for people from other states to get jabs in Delhi. “The address is checked on the Aadhar card or any other ID the person carries. However, we haven’t heard of any such instances where people from other states are getting the shots in Delhi,” said a senior district level officer, requesting not to be identified. “But if someone is doing it, what can we do? They are Indian citizens after all,” the official quoted above added.
When asked whether people from Noida can go to Delhi to get vaccinated, GB Nagar immunization officer, Dr Neeraj Tyagi, said vaccinations for the 18-44 years category are only happening at private hospitals in the district, as of now. “The district has not yet started vaccines for the 18-44 years category at government centres. A Noida resident can book a slot in Delhi for it if they don’t get it here,” he said.
Gautam Budh Nagar district magistrate Suhas L Y said, “We have requested the state government to allow us to start vaccination for the 18-44 years category in Noida also. We will start as soon as the government allows us.”
Ghaziabad district immunisation officer, Dr Vishram Singh, also said that the administration has not rolled out the 18-44 category vaccination.
“We cannot stop anyone from going to Delhi for vaccinations. People can go anywhere they find a slot. There are no restrictions for a local address for vaccinations,” he said.
WITH INPUTS FROM ANONNA DUTT