BMC BEGINS 2ND JAB OF CORONA DRUG
Most of the beneficiaries return without receiving vaccine due to technical snag in Co-Win app
Technical glitch in the centralised Co-Win application continues to be a problem for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday as most of the beneficiaries had to return without taking the second dose after their names were missing from the list.
Moreover, the beneficiaries whose names were on the list did not receive any messages from the Co-Win app following which all were informed through the ward war room. This has overall affected the total turnout of the public for the second shot.Senior health officials said the names of the many recipients who had taken the first dose on January 16 were not showing on the Co
Win app.
“The software of the CoWin portal was once again malfunctioned, due to which many beneficiaries did not get the message for the second dose. Many people came to get the second dose of the vaccine, but were sent back without dose,” he said. However, on
Monday, the software prompted for several beneficiareies who had either not taken the first dose or didn't complete the 28-day interval. The vaccination drive was started on January 16, on the first day 1,926 healthcare workers were vaccinated with the first dose following which after 28-days they were about to give a second dose.
However, On Monday the civic body has decided to give the second dose.Beneficiaries who have taken the first dose said they had completed 28-day cycle and they were about to get the second dose on Monday, but when they reached the vaccine centres their names were not on the list and they were asked to go back.
“I took the first dose of the vaccine, but yesterday I neither received the message nor was my name on the portal. Due to a problem in the portal, I have not received the second dose of vaccine. Now only after getting the name in the portal i take another dose,” said Dr Lalit Sankhe, JJ Hospital.Moreover, many of the beneficiaries have not received the vaccine certificates which serves as a proof. “If the beneficiary goes to another state or abroad, then the certificate of vaccination is considered important, but due to problems in the portal, many beneficiaries have not even got the certificate,” said an officer.
Following directions from the University of Mumbai (MU) to defer reopening of offline lectures till February 22, 2021, degree colleges and universities did not reopen campuses on Monday. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has denied permission to MU to reopen offline lectures in affiliated degree colleges and universities because it needs to analyse the spread of the Covid-19 infection as suburban train services have been resumed for the common people from February 1.
As per directions of the state higher and technical education department, degree colleges and universities were prepared to reopen offline lectures with 50 per cent attendance on a ro
tational basis from Monday. The MU released a notice stating, "Due to the direction given by the BMC, a decision regarding reopening of offline lectures in degree colleges and universities in Mumbai will be taken post
February 22, 2021."
MU had written to the BMC seeking permission to reopen offline lectures from February 15. A senior officer of MU said, "The BMC is the local administrative authority which is analysing
the ground situation and tracking the number of coronavirus positive cases in the city. We need a final nod from the BMC to reopen offline lectures."
In its letter to MU, the BMC stated, "As local train services have been resumed in Mumbai for the common people from February 1, we need to analyse the spread of the Covid-19 infection and the rise or fall in the number of cases. The decision regarding reopening of offline lectures in degree colleges and universities will be taken after February 22, 2021."
The degree colleges said they will continue to conduct online lectures and will focus on preparing for summer semester examination via online mode. The principal of a South Mumbai college said, "Offline lectures should be reopened once students and staff members are permitted to commute by suburban train services with relaxations in time slots. We will continue to conduct online lectures as summer semester exams will be conducted soon."