Mumbai: Vaccination may start today from 2 pm, says BMC

A medic vaccinates a beneficiary, in Chembur. File pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

The Covid-19 vaccination drive will resume on Friday, as about 1.25 lakh doses of Covishield vaccines will be arriving by night, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said late on Thursday. Vaccination was suspended for a day as the city had run out of stock.

A woman is vaccinated in Chembur. File pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

On Thursday, BMC officials received the confirmation that fresh Covid-19 vaccine stock will reach its central storage unit late at night. The distribution to vaccination centres across the city will begin on Friday morning. All public centres have been instructed to be prepared to hold sessions on Friday from 2 pm to 5 pm.

Various state governments had appealed to the central government to directly procure vaccine doses and supply them to states, instead of leaving the procurement on them as it was delaying inoculation.

The Centre had finally agreed, and revised the rules, which made the state completely dependent on the Centre for replenishment of stocks. Even the BMC, which had earlier floated tenders for supply of vaccines, decided against direct procurement from manufacturers.

But the situation hasn't improved much. Civic officials said fresh stock never arrives until and unless there is a dire situation, where the vaccination drive has to be suspended. This had happened even last week, when the BMC had to call off the drive on June 24 and could start the next day, but only from 2 pm to 5 pm.

Meanwhile, private vaccination centres were opened on Thursday and 32,074 people took their shot. No adverse effects were reported, stated the BMC's data. This has taken the total vaccination figure of the city to 54,67,805.