At a time when the Maharashtra government appeals eligible citizens to take vaccination and precautionary doses, it has come to light that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been gradually shutting down civic-run COVID-19 vaccination centres (CVCs) in Mumbai.
Read More: Maharashtra May Reduce 9-Month Gap For Booster Dose, says CM Thackeray
If reports are to be believed, in the last month, it has temporarily shut 50 of its centres with zero or less than 10 per cent footfall.
Civic officials stated that this development takes place as Mumbai’s adult population is fully vaccinated and less number of those eligible for booster doses coming to the centres.
BMC additional commissioner stated that reducing the number of vaccination centres was done to save money and avoid wastage of vaccines as each vaccine vial has 10 doses and must be used within 4 hours of opening. Moreover, presently booster dose for the 18-60 age group population is allowed in private hospitals only.
The target group for the vaccine (which includes booster doses for above 60 and frontline & healthcare workers) is close to 4 lakh people and these 4-lakh people won’t turn up at the same time, he further stated.
Recently, Dharavi vaccination centre in collaboration with Jaslok hospital started the free inoculation drive for those eligible for booster shots.
The city has 100 active public vaccination centres with at least four vaccination centres in each ward. If the need arises, the civic body will restart these vaccination centres, BMC officials.
Additionally, with the low turnout of beneficiaries of those between 12-17 years of age, BMC has now decided to have camps in schools and colleges.
So far, 474,296 children in the age group 12-18 have got their first dose in the city out of which 93024 are in the age of 12-15. A total of 2,86,003 in the age 12-18 have taken the second dose out of which 10912 are in the 12-15 age group.
Moreover, the BMC will soon resume the inoculation drive for children between 6-12 years of age.
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