Your second Covid-19 vaccine dose due? Expect a call from BMC

Beneficiaries take their vaccine shots at Nair Hospital on November 2. File pic

Instead of sticking to its earlier plan of calling the beneficiaries who are yet to take their second shot of the COVID-19 vaccine as per their registered addresses, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has divided the work equally among the 24 administrative wards. Each ward war room will now make calls to an average of 15,000 second dose beneficiaries of Covishield and 3,000 of Covaxin from across the city and not just stick to those from a particular ward. Civic officials said that this would ensure fair distribution of work.

As per the list prepared by the civic body, a total of 3.7 lakh people are yet to take the second Covishield shot and for over 81,000 a second shot of the Covaxin is pending. Speaking about the earlier plan of making calls as per the addresses, the civic officials said that they did not want to burden any particular ward owing to possible disparity in numbers. mid-day on Monday had reported about the civic body creating a database of citizens who have missed out on their second dose and instructing the 24 ward war rooms to reach out to them and complete their vaccination.

Scores of citizens have missed out on their second dose either because of lapse in dates, change of address or have simply forgotten about it. The ward war rooms have been tasked to call them up and encourage them to get their required shots. They will also explain the benefits and importance of being fully vaccinated and inform the beneficiaries about the nearest available vaccination centre.

A senior health department official said, "There are over four lakh citizens who have not taken their second dose. We are identifying them and trying to encourage them to take it. We have a list of all the vaccination centres and the ward war rooms can easily guide them with the necessary information as per their addresses."

Meanwhile the BMC is yet to complete its target of vaccinating the city's adult population with at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine. It had earlier set a deadline of early October for the same. And to the dismay of those who were willing to get their doses during the next three days, the BMC has shut its centres and will open them again on Monday.

3.7 lakh
No. of people yet to take the second Covishield shot

81,000
No. of people yet to take the second Covaxin shot