BMC targets 100 per cent vaccination in Mumbai by Jan 26

COVID-19 cases in India are on a rise and with the newly identified variant, Omicron, the concerns for the government and public have increased significantly. To ensure citizen’s safety, the state government of Maharashtra and the respective civic bodies have been vaccinating a large number of people through camps and centres. Keeping the predicted third COVID-19 wave in mind, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), is working towards the target of 100 per cent vaccination and as per the report published in the Free Press Journal, officials from the health department expect to achieve this by January 26, 2022.

Associations and centres have been instructed to create awareness and vaccinate all the citizens as this will help in containing the spread of virus and keeping the people safe in the current scenario. BMC data released on Monday, December 27, 2021, revealed that the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine has been administered to over 99 lakh citizens in Mumbai. Though this number does not tally as per the 2011 census, officials from the civic body have mentioned several factors for this difference. As of December 27, 2021, more than 99.14 lakh citizens had taken the second dose of the vaccine and over 1.4 million citizens in Mumbai have to be given the second dose, basis which officials believe that the same can be achieved by January 26, 2022.

The target of giving first dose of COVID vaccine to all citizens in Mumbai was achieved on November 18, 2021, and as per the instructions given by the government, civic bodies have to achieve the second target as well and ensure fully vaccinated Mumbai.

Sharing more details, the FPJ report quoted a BMC official who said, "Vaccinations in Mumbai also include citizens from outside Mumbai and MMR. Therefore, even after meeting the target of 93 lakhs for the first dose, the number of people taking the first dose is still significant. As a result, more than 100 per cent of the first dose has been vaccinated under BMC's jurisdiction.”

On the other hand, officials mentioned that the target of administering one crore first COVID vaccine dose is expected to be achieved in the next few days.