Mumbai: Friction at Covid-19 vaccine centres as hospitals weed out walk-ins

Centres’ move comes amid crowds that are becoming hard to manage. File pic

With there being many in the city who use their connections and references to get vaccines without registration, the same does not seem to be working for those in the 18-44 years group. Vaccination centres have been employing various ways to keep such citizens at bay. Many are making lists of registered candidates and allowing only them inside the premises.

Vaccine beneficiaries at Nair hospital on Sunday. Pic/Ashish Raje

Although the civic body has advised citizens to not turn up at vaccination centres without registration and appointment, many are seen crowding the places. The eight-odd centres giving vaccinations in the city have to cater to not just the 18-44 age group but also to those aged 45 and above, adding to the confusion and chaos.

While one centre is calling the names of registered candidates, another one is putting up the list of 500 registered names and allowing entry to only those with their name on the list. Centres claimed that many are turning up without registering and asking for entry citing references of authorities. The centres have been turning such people away.

Citizens upset

The measures, however, are appearing to make people think that only those with influence are being given vaccines. A beneficiary who visited a centre in Chunabhatti said, "We were standing in the queue for almost two hours and then the centre's representatives came and started calling people's names. Our names were not there but we had an appointment and had registered. Later, when people from the queue pointed this out, the centre took us in."

Former India cricket captain Nari Contractor, 88, got his vaccination at the Cama and Albless Hospital, Fort, on Sunday. Sunday mid-day had reported how Contractor and his visually-challenged wife, Dolly, had to return home despite having an appointment for vaccination on Saturday

Civic sources said that the names are being called to ensure that registered people and not just anyone walks in. The SevenHills Hospital puts up the list of registered beneficiaries at the main entrance and verifies people's identities before letting them in.

An official from the vaccination team of BMC's Health Department said, "Many hospitals are complaining about crowds. With the responsibility of inoculating two groups, it becomes too much for them to handle. Hence we restricted entry to appointments only. But there are many who still come and cite names of authorities and politicians. We have instructed centres to not let such people in."