On Day 1 of children's vaccination, centres receive dismal responses from 12-14 age group beneficiaries

A girl between 12-14 age group gets vaccinated at Rajawadi Hospital`s vaccination centre. Pic/Sameer Abedi

The 12 vaccination centres run by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on a pilot basis in the city to administer vaccines for 12-14 age group beneficiaries received very low footfalls on Wednesday. According to the authorities, not many children participated on the first day of the vaccination drive.

Dr Shailesh Mohite, dean of RN Cooper Hospital in Vile Parel, says, "Not a single beneficiary visited the centre today. While it is just the beginning of the vaccination drive for children, we hope to get better footfall in the coming days."

Even if there was low footfall, the children had to wait at the centres due to technical glitches.

Dr Sangeeta Rawat, dean, KEM Hospital, states the vaccination drive for children was hassle-free at their centre as only four children were administered with the Corbevax vaccine. Dr Rawat says, "The process got delayed as the portal was not updated and children had to wait for hours. Besides this, many parents might be still hesitant to vaccinate their kids. I urge all parents to come forward and get their children vaccinated as it is the only way to protect them from getting infected."

After the Centre's announcement to vaccinate children in the 12-14 age group from March 16, BMC planned to start the vaccination drive at 12 dedicated centres on a two-day trial basis in Mumbai.

Dr Vidya Thakur, medical superintendent of Rajawadi Hospital, says, "20 beneficiaries visited our centre. We generally don't get a good response on Day 1. In January when the 15-18 age group vaccination drive started, the number of footfall was less in the beginning and slowly increased after a few days."

Dr Thakur adds, "The less number of responses may also be due to the increasing heat. It was too hot in the afternoon because of which the children might have avoided visiting the vaccination centre. We are hoping to receive an increase in footfall after Holi. As it is their first doses, they might want to avoid the post-vaccination effects in order to play Holi."

While a few beneficiaries visited the Bandra vaccination centre. Dr Rajesh Dere, dean of the Jumbo Covid Care Centre and vaccination centre at the Bandra Kurla Complex, says, "24 beneficiaries visited our centre on Day 1. We hope that the footfall will slowly increase."