The elaborate arrangements by the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) to administer booster doses which has received an encouraging response from citizens is all set to hit a hurdle as the health department is staring at a shortage of vaccines. The situation could hamper MBMC’s effort towards maximising booster dose coverage in the twin-city.
The Union health ministry has announced the launch of a 75-day programme to administer the Covid-19 vaccine’s precaution dose to anyone above 18 years, free of cost, at government hospitals from July 15. Subsequently MBMC’s health department set up a target of administering 75,000 and 1,71,000 doses till 15, August and 30, September respectively.
To achieve the target, 16 vaccination centres, 25 field teams and three mobile vaccination clinics have been arranged for the purpose. The MBMC, which expected an average turnout of 2,500 vaccinations, started witnessing a footfall of nearly 3,000 per day. Although the MBMC has an adequate quantity of Corbevax and Covaxin, the stock of much needed-Covishield had started drying up, limiting just 360 shots till Monday evening.
“There is nothing to worry, we will be getting the fresh stock in a day or two. The pace of vaccinations will not be affected,” said deputy municipal commissioner (health)- Sanjay Shinde. As per records, 6.54 lakh and 6.45 lakh people in the twin-city have been administered the first and second dose respectively. The MBMC has also launched a drive to locate the ten thousand people who have skipped the second dose, despite completing the prescribed time interval between two doses. Although the government has set 7, 99,532 as the target of vaccine eligible population within the twin-city, the actual figures are said to be higher. The nationwide Covid-19 vaccination programme was rolled out on 16, January-2021.
