After stalling the drive for the three days, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will be resuming the vaccination drive from Tuesday.
Only beneficiaries above 60 years of age will be allowed to walk-in at the vaccine centres for the jabs. The vaccination for the beneficiaries of 18 to 44 years of age is likely to start by May-end or the first week of June, depending upon the availability of vaccine.
“Vaccination to resume at selected centres on 18 and 19 May’21. Walk-in for 60+ taking their 1st dose of Covishield while 84 days to be completed after 1st dose of Covishield’s second,” BMC tweeted.
Suresh Kakani, Additional Municipal Commissioner said currently they have around 60,000 to 70,000 doses and they are expecting more doses in the next two to three days. However, there will be no vaccination drive for beneficiaries between 18 to 44 years until they get the adequate stock to vaccinate each and every one in one go.
“Depending on the availability of current stock only senior citizens will be allowed to take the vaccine shots. While we are also expecting a few vaccine doses by Thursday (May 20). The vaccination for citizens of 18 to 44 years of age is likely to start by the last week of May or the first week of June,” he said.
There are presently 260 vaccination centres across the city, of which 166 are operated by BMC, 74 are private and 20 are operated by the state or Central government.
Meanwhile, BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal on Sunday had also announced that walk-in vaccination will be allowed for beneficiaries above age 60 years who are getting their first dose but only for the Covishield vaccines. According to BMC, there are about three lakh beneficiaries 60 years of age remaining to be given their first dose.
On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (May 18 to 20) beneficiaries in the 60 years and above age group taking their first dose of Covishield, those who are due for a second dose of Covaxin, and differently-abled beneficiaries will qualify for walk-in vaccinations. On these three days, only health and frontline workers can get their second dose of Covishield as many have completed 12 weeks since their first dose.
According to the BMC data, so far 2,841,349 beneficiaries have been vaccinated in Mumbai, of which 2,121,573 have received their first dose and 719,776 administered second dose.
