Covid-19: Mumbai races towards full one-dose vaccine target

Photo for representational purpose

As the city marches towards 100 per cent vaccination, the speed of administering the first dose has dropped from 43,420 a day in September to 16,207 a day in the past 10 days. The number of beneficiaries coming for the second dose has also dropped from 55,000 a day to 33,300 a day. In the past 10 days, between October 14 and 23, only 1.62 lakh people took their first dose. The city has an aim of completing 92 lakh first doses by October-end.

A woman gets a dose of Covid vaccine at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Primary School in Chembur. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

"We rolled out several initiatives to complete 100 per cent vaccination by the end of October. With the help of corporators, BMC is arranging special camps for people in high-rises who haven't taken the vaccine. Mobile vans will ensure that we reach people in slums as well as all public places. We have a target to cover 92 lakh citizens in Mumbai," said a BMC official.

Cleared backlog

In the case of second dose, the number of beneficiaries per day has dropped from 54,952 in September to 33,300 in October. A civic official, however, said there is no need for concern. "As the availability of vaccines improved, we cleared the backlog for the second dose in September; so, the number of second doses was higher last month. Now, people are coming for their second dose after completion of 84 days," the official said.

Another three months

Till October 23, 87.22 lakh people received their first dose, while 50.85 lakh received both the doses. If the city achieves 100 per cent vaccination target by October-end, it will take another three months before full vaccination considering the gap of 84 days between the two doses.

16,207
No. of first doses administered daily in the past 10 days