25K-30K VAX DOSES TO BE KEPT AS RESERVES
Officials worry that vaccines may fall short as frontline workers are also being vaccinated
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is now planning to reserve over 25,000 to 30,000 vaccine doses for the beneficiaries who have taken the first dose since the vaccination drive started in the city. So far 58,590 of the targeted 79,344 healthcare have been vaccinated in the last 12 sessions of the drive. Officials said from today they have started to vaccinate frontline workers (FLWs) along with HCWs so there is a possibility dosage may fall short.
Earlier, immunisation was supposed to be held in a phase-wise manner, starting with health workers, followed by front line workers like police, municipal staff, defence personnel, state transport drivers, and revenue officials in the second phase. But last week the central gover nment directed all the states to start vaccinating FLWs along with the HCWs.
Suresh Kakani, Additional Municipal Commissioner said the main reason for preserving more than 20,000 dosages so that the beneficiaries who have taken the first shot of the vaccine should not miss the second shot. Moreover, there are very fewer chances of vaccine shortage as currently, they have more than 2 lakh dosage available.
“From today we have started vaccinating both FLWs along with HCWs due to which more doses will be used at the vaccine centres.
Moreover, the third consignment of vaccine is yet to arrive, so as precautionary measures we have decided to reserve it for the beneficiaries who have taken doses in the first six sessions,” he said.
Ahead of the vaccination of other frontline workers this week onwards, the civic body said the third consignment of Covishield, too, is expected to arrive next week or after that.
As per the rules of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), beneficiaries of both the vaccines—Covishield and Covaxin will have to take two shots. The second shot will be given after 28 days of taking the first one. The first dose helps the immune system create a response against Sars-Cov-2– the virus that causes COVID-19. The second dose further boosts the immune response to ensure long-term protection.