11 August,2021 06:45 AM IST | Mumbai | Prajakta Kasale
A beneficiary is given a dose of Covishield at Swaminarayan temple in Mahalaxmi. File pics/Ashish Raje
With fully vaccinated individuals allowed to use local trains after I-Day, the wait for jabs could become excruciating for hundreds of thousands of citizens. While about 10 lakh beneficiaries will be eligible for their second dose this month, 33 lakh are yet to get the first dose. Till August 9, an average of 42,000 doses were delivered daily and at this rate, only nine lakh more shots will be given by the end of this month.
Of the 90 eligible residents in the city, about 33 lakh, most aged less than 45 years, are yet to get their first dose, shows BMC data. The numbers also show that vaccination in this month is moving at a slower pace than June and July.
The I-Day announcement has meant that people are eager to get vaccinated and get back to work. However, the shot scene remains gloomy even after eight months into the vaccination programme.
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A beneficiary is given a dose of Covishield at Swaminarayan temple in Mahalaxmi. File pics/Ashish Raje
Considering that each person requires two doses of a vaccine, Mumbai needs 1.80 crore doses. Till August 9, officials said, only 76 lakh doses have been administered of which 57 lakh beneficiaries are first-timers. Of the 19 lakh fully vaccinated population, about 10 lakh are senior citizens and most of them are unlikely to use the locals.
So far in this month, only 3.9 lakh doses have been given - which means a little over 9 lakh would be given at this rate by August 31. While 21.5 lakh jabs were given in June, the figure for July was about 18 lakh.
BMC Commissioner I S Chahal on multiple instances has said that they are keen to vaccinate the city's population by November but the supply of vaccines is not in their control. "All calculations will depend on future supplies of vaccines and we have to be optimistic always," said Chahal.
The Mumbai maths
>> 18+ population: 90 lakh
>> Doses given (first and second): 76 lakh
>> More doses required: 1.04 crore
90L
No. of eligible people in the city
