BHOPAL: ‘Drive-in vaccination’ began at the drive-in cinema on the premises of the Tourism Corporation’s Hotel Lake View at Shyamala Hills on Saturday in collaboration with the health department and UNICEF. The state’s first open air drive-in cinema was inaugurated in January this year. It is spread over an area of 80,000 sq feet.
Medical education minister Vishwas Sarang reached the drive-in vaccination centre and reviewed the arrangements. He enquired about the health of the people who came to get vaccinated and urged them to motivate others also to take advantage of this new experiment. Sarang said that this vaccination programme is a unique experiment, especially for the elderly and women. Such new experiments will also be made in other parts of Madhya Pradesh. Managing director of Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation S. Vishwanathan and Collector Avinash Lavania were also present.
Principal secretary tourism and culture Shiv Shekhar Shukla informed that this new experiment has been started to provide a safe and accessible vaccination facility to the people of Bhopal. Pre-registered citizens above 45 will be vaccinated from 5 pm to 8 pm daily. Citizens will be able to register for vaccination through https://cowin.gov.in portal and Arogya Setu App for date and time slots as per their convenience. On registration through the app, a screenshot or printout of the date and time slot, along with photo identity card, from which the registration has been done will have to be brought to the centre. This will enable citizens to get vaccinated by reaching the centre at the scheduled date and time. The Government of India guidelines and the Covid-19 protocol is being followed in the drive in vaccination programme.
S Vishwanathan said that those who are vaccinated have to wait in the centre premises for half an hour after vaccination, during this time interesting information regarding precaution and prevention of Covid-19 infection will be displayed on the big screen in the premises.
Pick and drop facility
Vishwanathan informed that pick and drop facility has also been started for safe vaccination of people. Interested persons can contact the Transport Branch of the Tourism Corporation at number 90397 61097. They will have to pay Rs 400 for 10 kilometers, Rs 600 for 20 kilometers and Rs 900 for 35 kilometers. Such citizens will be picked up from their home by the Transport branch of the Corporation and dropped back home after vaccination.
