04 April,2021 07:01 AM IST | Mumbai | Jane Borges
After getting vaccinated on March 18, Gomati Ramasubramaniam, 72, has spent her days urging residents of Balaji Healthcare seniors home to take the jab. Pic/Sameer Markande
It's been so long since I stepped out, I don't even know where my sandals are," 78-year-old Harish Gordhan Sutaria jokes over the telephone. Sutaria's last "real outing" was in February 2020, just a few weeks before the Coronavirus-induced lockdown pulled the plug on his monthly catch-ups with friends from Asmita Senior Citizen Group, a 205-member strong community of elderly residents from South Mumbai. The group was formed sometime in 2003, when Sutaria and his friends, fresh into retirement, would meet at Nana Nani Park in Girgaon Chowpatty for their evening walks. "We decided to start something that would make this new chapter of our life more meaningful and enjoyable," he shares. Since then, the group has been meeting at least once every month, eating out at a restaurant or watching the latest Gujarati drama in a nearby hall. "Thrice a year, we'd also plan a day-long get-together," adds Sutaria, who heads the group. "It really gave us something to look forward to."
Now cooped up in his home, Sutaria says that he and his friends have spent the last many months keeping themselves busy on their smartphones, playing online Housie, and sharing forwards over the WhatsApp group they have created. "I can't wait to watch a play with them again. I wish it happens soon," he says. Since all his group members - owing to their age - are at higher risk of being affected by COVID-19, such plans may have to wait. This is why Sutaria has invested so much faith in the vaccine.
On March 1, when the government opened its vaccination programme for everyone above 60 years of age (and those over 45 years with comorbidities), Sutaria was among those who championed the move. Though his family was unsure about getting him vaxxed immediately, what with news about side-effects trickling in, the septuagenarian remained adamant. Ten days later, he and his wife Pushpa, received the first shot of the vaccine at Sir H N Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre. "When I returned home, I shared the picture that I took at the vaccine booth, with my friends. I told them that if we all want to meet again, each one of us will have to take the shot," he says. For the last few weeks, Sutaria has been goading members of his group to get vaccinated. "I even requested a staff member from Reliance hospital to assist any of them, in case they had doubts related to registration." Many of his friends bitten by the FOMO (fear of missing out) bug, have followed suit, getting the jab and sharing photos on their WhatsApp group soon after.
Sutaria and his senior friends are among the excited club of elderly making a beeline for vaccine booths at public and private hospitals across the city. The initial vaccine rollout, which began on January 16, and covered healthcare and frontline workers, had been sluggish, as some did not turn up for the shots. The enthusiasm of India's "golden generation", has however, changed the narrative. Despite having to negotiate tech challenges that came with registering on the Co-WIN app, and having to wait for hours in the serpentine queues at these centres, the elderly plunged headlong - over 10 million were vaccinated against COVID-19 in the first 15 days - allaying any concerns related to the vaccine. Not just that, many seniors have now become self-proclaimed vaccine advocates, encouraging anyone and everyone to get the jab.
In a nationally representative survey of 1,556 adults aged 50 to 80 years in the United States, conducted in October 2020 by the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Ageing, 58 per cent of older adults indicated they would be likely to get a COVID-19 vaccine, against 28 per cent, who said they were unlikely, and 14 per cent, who were either unsure or did not know if they would get vaccinated. Interest in getting a COVID-19 vaccine was more common among those aged 65 to 80 years compared with those aged 50 to 64 years. In deciding whether or not to get a COVID-19 vaccine, older adults rated the following factors as very important - how well it works (80 per cent), their own research (56 per cent), and if it was recommended by their physician (52 per cent), public health officials (42 per cent), or family and friends (13 per cent).
"Effective vaccines will be crucial to getting this pandemic under control and preventing serious illness and death from COVID-19, especially among people over 50 and those with underlying health issues," said Preeti Malani, MD, the poll's director and a specialist in geriatrics and infectious diseases at Michigan Medicine.
Dombivli resident Gomati Ramasubramaniam, who took her first jab on March 18, says the vaccine is the only way forward, especially for the elderly. The 72-year-old has been staying at an elderly care home-cum-hospital, Balaji Healthcare, and spending time with other senior residents for the last two months. "I am related to the owners, Dr Mahalaxmi Iyer and Dr Ramani Brahma, and decided to come here in Vasind for a change in routine. I have been spending a lot of time with the elderly here. When the government announced free vaccination for seniors, there was an intense discussion on the WhatsApp group of retired teachers that I am a part of," recalls Ramasubramaniam, who retired from a Kalyan school in early 2000.
Some of the group members shared photographs after taking their first dose against COVID-19. "That actually motivated the whole lot to go for it as well."
At Balaji Healthcare, Ramasubramaniam was one of the first five residents to get the jab, and has been counselling the rest since. "We have people in wheelchairs here. Getting them to take a vaccine took us a while. We had to convince them, as their mobility is restricted. But when word spread that this is meant for our benefit, people were enthusiastic," she shares.
Seventy four-year-old Pramila Radhakrishnan, who suffers from several comorbidities, including diabetes and hypertension, has been terrified of going out, since the pandemic broke out. "This is the same woman, who every evening would travel from our home in Kanjurmarg to Dignity Foundation's centre in Dadar in a cab. She is an active member of the organisation," says her daughter, author Sudha Murthy. "We have seen her crumble during the lockdown. Being trapped inside the home, affected her health. We even stopped bringing the newspapers to keep her away from any kind of bad news." Radhakrishnan lives with Sudha's younger sister, Sangeeta Menon, a former journalist and communications specialist. "When the vaccination programme began, Sangeeta booked a slot for mum on the app, but for some reason she refused to take it. She feared that she would develop complications. But, I have a lot of senior friends in Pune. My husband and I had been driving down some of them to the vaccination centre to get the shot, as they live alone. I told my mum how they were all doing fine. I think that worked for her. After that, she drove my sister crazy, because she wanted to get it anyhow."
Radhakrishnan is now convincing other members of the family to get it, including her daughters, and her grandchildren Aarya - because she is appearing for her Class XII exams in May - and Nayantara Thomas, who is co-founder of Parisserie, a South Mumbai patisserie. "Nayantara takes a cab to go to work every day, so she is incredibly worried for her. We have to keep reminding her that younger people won't get the vaccine anytime soon. She just can't understand why it is not available for everyone as yet," says Menon, adding, "I think getting the vaccine, has given her a sense of confidence to face the world. She can't wait to get the second jab, after which she hopes to visit her 120-year-old ancestral home in Kerala. Her soul is attached to that place. The vaccine has made her very hopeful about living life again, and that is endearing to see."
There are some like Ena Amelia D'Silva, 67, and Behram Khodaiji, 60, who have gone out of their way to create awareness about the vaccine procedure among senior citizens in their community.
Khodaiji, the joint CEO of Masina Hospital Trust, took his first jab on March 15. Being a healthcare worker, he was eligible for a vaccine in January itself, but due to a certain seafood allergy, he was advised by Nair Hospital staff to wait it out.
He, however, noticed that elderly Parsi residents in his Byculla colony, Rustom Baug, were hesitant to take the shot. To stem the hesitancy, he contacted the Rustom Baug Association and met with everyone. Khodaiji says, "As a healthcare worker, my priority was to motivate others who are eligible to take the vaccine. We started an awareness drive and set up a group that was in charge of allocating vaccines for everyone. We created batches, and about 100 people were registered for a vaccine drive in a day. It wasn't difficult to convince them. We even helped those who didn't have smartphones register for it, and ferry those without help to Masina and back."
Khodaiji hasn't stopped at that. He is now going beyond the Parsi community and encouraging security guards, house helps and other staff in the colony to take the jab, too. "I've told them that all they need to do is monitor themselves for a few hours [after the jab]. On March 20, we ended up vaccinating 100 elderly persons in the colony on the same day. Now, for the second dose, they know how to navigate this on their own."
Like Khodaiji, Ena Amelia D'Silva has been pushing the elderly Catholic community in Bandra to go and get the jab. D'Silva is a former Sunday school teacher and also a lector, who spends time between her parish Mount Carmel Church, and Mount Mary's. In the beginning, she admits having been a little apprehensive about getting the shot, especially with rumours about how the vaccine would genetically modify humans. But, after watching a couple of videos by experts, and listening to Cardinal Oswald Gracias' appeal to members of the community to get vaxxed, she felt a sense of responsibility. "We owe it to fellow members."
On March 8, she and her husband Vincent Paul went to the BKC Jumbo centre. "The entire process was really smooth. When I came back and told the women in my church prayer group about it, they did not seem too keen. I couldn't understand why." She soon realised that many of them were playing the âwait and watch' game. "It was all about who is going to go and take it first. Everyone wants to know how you fared after taking the vaccine. They are afraid of that. I didn't hide anything. Yes, I felt a little unwell on the first day, but after I popped the paracetamol, which we got at the vaccination centre, I was fine the next day."
D'Silva meets her prayer group almost daily - the sessions have moved online after a spike in cases - and also sees some of them at church, when she goes for mass. "I make it a point to talk to them about the vaccine, and help alleviate their fears, if any. In fact, I have also been following up with them, asking when they are scheduled to visit the hospital next," she says, adding, "The lockdown has been hard on most of us, and that was the real motivation behind getting the vaccine. I want to move freely about again, visit members of my parish and attend mass, like we used to before."
Vashi couple Czarina, 69, and Joel D'Souza, 72, were always gung-ho about getting vaccinated, especially after the former's tryst with COVID-19. Czarina, a retired nurse, was consulting at a hospital in August, once every week, when she contracted the virus. "I had mild fever for two days, but no major symptoms, but I still quarantined at home for 21 days."
The couple was among the first in their society to get vaccinated at Terna Speciality Hospital and Research Centre. Ever since, they have been encouraging other seniors, and even their watchman, sweeper, and maid to get vaccinated. "It will at least ensure some kind of protection from the virus. Many of them were having problems logging in for registration on the Co-WIN app, so my husband and I helped them with that. Most of them have already gone and taken the vaccine."
D'Souza, however, senses a lack of fear among certain groups of people, which is proving to be a huge impediment. "Recently, when I was in Bandra, I was speaking to the autorickshaw driver about the vaccine, and he said, âZaroorat nahin hai'. That's the attitude we are dealing with, and it needs to be countered, if we want to contain the virus."
Author Sudha Menon (left) with her mother Pramila Radhakrishnan and sister Sangeeta. Radhakrishnan, 74, her daughters say has got back her self-confidence, which was missing ever since the pandemic broke out
While a large group of Indians are overzealous about getting vaccinated, the lower economic sections continue to remain in the dark, not just about the availability of the vaccines, but also its accessibility. This has resulted in a stark class divide in India's COVID-19 vaccination drive.
At Babasaheb Ambedkar Nagar, Cuffe Parade, Swapnil Kale, 22, and Maruti Chauhan, 25, have been struggling to convince residents about the vaccine. According to Chauhan, the slum is home to nearly 20,000 families. "I recently visited a few homes to find out if the seniors had started taking the vaccine. Most didn't even know they could go to the hospital to get it. Some felt that if they took it, they'd develop a complication," adds Chauhan, a football coach and co-founder of Hamari Silai, a social enterprise dedicated to skill development and employment of women.
Inside the slum, we meet Ramibai Chauhan, a septuagenarian, who supplies water to residents in the slum pocket. She spent most of her life at Sassoon Dock, where she'd clean fish. She has, however, been home-bound for the last few years, due to pain in her knees. "I only came to know about the vaccine when Maruti told us about it. But, I am unable to walk, so how will I even go the hospital, which is more than 2 km away?" she asks.
Earlier this week, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Health) Suresh Kakani had told the media that the Centre had turned down the BMC's request to allow door-to-door Coronavirus vaccination of senior citizens suffering from physical disabilities. While the Centre has denied receiving any such request, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan hinted that the Centre wasn't planning to carry out such a programme anytime soon.
Another Ambedkar Nagar resident Ashok Kamble, 66, says he has been struggling to get details about the vaccination centre. "I learnt that we have to register online, but I have a very basic phone, so I can't access the app. This morning, I called up a helpline number, requesting them to help me. My wife has a liver disease, so she needs the vaccine as soon as possible. The person who answered my call on the helpline, told me to try later, as the doctor wasn't available. They should at least put out an ad for people like us on cable TV, so that we have access to information. Fortunately, I can read the newspaper, but what about the rest? How will they ever know?"
58
Percentage of older adults who indicated they would get vaccine in a US national poll in Oct 2020
10 million
No. of elderly who lined up for the COVID-19 vaccine shot in India in the first 15 days after they were eligible
