Corporators need to stop interfering in vaccination work

This picture has been used for representational purpose

An extensive report has highlighted problems at vaccination centres across the city, especially smaller ones where walk-ins are allowed on stipulated days of the week.

Locals have complained that those who know corporators or are their friends, relatives, etc. are given preferential treatment. They are allowed to jump queues as the corporator makes that all important phone call to the centre officials and tells those in charge to let somebody who is his contact go through.

The workers at the centre have no choice but to agree. It is the workers on the site who have to face the brunt later as those waiting, some in enervating long queues, target them in anger.

At times, corporators themselves are on site and they are the ones allowing their contacts first preference for the vaccine, even though there are others who may have been waiting for hours. All this is leading to a powder keg of anger and frustration.

This practice needs to be nipped in the bud as we have to ensure parity. Once in queue, we need to follow the rules and see that those who are waiting before us get the vaccine shot first. There has to be a sense of justice and fair play at these centres.

We now see desperation and a simmering anger in people who have been waiting hours for the shot. Vaccine shortage, uncertainty, constant rule changes, reams of information with people puzzled about how to sift through this, are all part of the very difficult circumstances when it comes to taking vaccines.

Those in power need to stop favouritism. They have to stop being cowards, pushing centre workers to face the wrath of the people who feel hard done by. These are fertile conditions for creating a chaotic situation at centres, one that we want to avoid at all costs.