Mumbai: BMC wants interval between 2 doses of Covishield reduced

With less than 25 per cent of eligible population given the second dose, fully vaccinating everyone with an 84-day gap is a tall task

Sources in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have said that the civic body wants the time gap between two doses of Covishield reduced. With a majority of the eligible population being vaccinated with the first dose, the proportion of people vaccinated with the second dose is still less than 25 per cent. This has irked the civic body enough to reserve vaccination days for second-dose beneficiaries at public centres and to verbally suggest a reduction in interval to the Centre.

Currently, over 65 lakh people have been vaccinated with the first dose, whereas only 22 lakh citizens are fully vaccinated. Of the 65 lakh, over 60 lakh have been administered Covishield. With warning bells over the third wave ringing, vaccinating a larger population with the current 84-day gap has become a difficult task for the civic body.

In the current trend, a number of first-dose recipients are queuing up at vaccination centres, leaving those up for the second dose in the lurch. On one of the six days that public centres are currently operating (barring the no-vaccine days), second-dose beneficiaries will be able to walk in for vaccination.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani said, “We are making efforts to encourage more second-dose beneficiaries to come forward. We are planning to save a day for them exclusively. This will help us increase numbers of fully vaccinated people.”

Also read: Mumbai: Swelling crowds are now cause for worry, say health experts

Discussions with Centre

In various discussions held with central government officials about Covid-19 and vaccination via video conferences, civic officials have verbally suggested that the gap between two doses be reduced. However, owing to the shortage of vaccines, there has been no positive reply from the central government so far.

A senior civic official not willing to be named said, “While we have been suggesting to the Centre in various meetings to reduce the time gap between two doses of Covishield, we have not yet written to them officially owing to the shortage of vaccines.”

When the time gap was reduced from 84 days to 28 days for international travellers, it was expected that it will also be applied to the general public at the earliest. However, the unresolved issue of low stocks continues to hinder the drive. Further, according to the civic body, over 90 per cent of the vaccinated population getting Covishield, there is no choice but to wait for 84 days.

mid-day reported in its August 25 edition how first-dose recipients queuing up at vaccination centres can expect to be fully vaccinated only by the end of the year. As such, it does not look like all eligible citizens will be vaccinated by the end of this year as per the mandate, civic officials said.

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