Walk-in for 45+, students going abroad

Further, the BMC informed, 78 per cent of the beneficiaries above 60 years of age have been vaccinated across the city. So far, 8.53 lakh of the 11 lakh estimated population in this group have taken their first doses. “We could achieve this target only after on-the-spot registration or walkins were allowed at the Covid vaccine centres for all those 60 years and above. However, we also learnt that on average, only 7,000 beneficiaries were availing walk-in facilities each day,” said BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal. Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani said the idea was to liberalise the vaccination drive, gauge the response of the beneficiaries and decide on whether it should be continued. “We are open to new ideas or techniques. We have planned to allow walk-ins for those above 45 years on a trial basis. It will give us a clear picture of whether it should be continued or not,” he said. Currently, walk-ins are only allowed for beneficiaries above 60 years, who are taking their first dose of Covishield and second dose of Covaxin. For those above 45 years, walk-ins are allowed only for the second dose of either vaccine. Kakani informed that beneficiaries aged 45-plus years could directly visit the vaccination centres to get their first dose of Covishield. Meanwhile, nursing mothers who are willing to take the jab need to show birth certificates of babies up to a year old when they visit the centres. Health experts said a shortage of vaccines had been reported in mid-April and at that time, the government had increased the gap between the two doses of Covishield to 12-16 weeks, from the earlier 6-8 weeks and this had slowed down the vaccination drive in the city. “We should first focus on vaccinating those above 60 years and then those above 45 years, apart from focusing on vulnerable groups. In Maharashtra, by now, the first dosage coverage of the 45-plus group should ideally have been at 70 per cent,” said a senior health official.