South Mumbai tip aims for shot in the arm to all; housing societies take onus for Covid-free Cuffe Parade
Smooth going at the vaccination drives at Cuffe Parade
Cuffe Parade is on mission vaccination and Covid-19 free Cuffe Parade “both go together”, said Anand Sheth, honorary secretary, Cuffe Parade Residents Association (CPRA). Locals along with their co-operative housing society committee representatives have pressed the gas pedal on seeing that Cuffe Paradians get the shot “since that is the only way to ensure a decline in cases and hopefully a Covid-19 free, very near future”, said Sheth.
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The drive at Jolly Maker 3 building
Small steps
Operating on the principle: many small steps make one giant leap, Cuffe Parade locals believed that they must take onus for their specific area.
“If the people find it difficult to go for the vaccine, the vaccine must come to them,” they said. Since May 31, Cuffe Parade has seen vaccine drives in buildings like Jolly Maker 3, Maker Tower H, I, J, K, L, Venus, Jupiter, Cuffe Castle, Sunflower, Clover, Sealand, Pallonji Mansion, Dalamal Park and Maker Tower A & B.
On Friday, buildings Sea Lord wing A & B, Casablanca, Satnam, Palm Springs, MehrDad and Jalkiran held vaccination drives. Said Sheth, “We have tied up with private hospitals and facilitated this. The idea is to get as many people vaccinated as we can. A big stumbling block we realised was that people were finding it difficult to get slots and finally never went to centres. The big ‘I’ was inaccessibility. We decided to turn ‘I’ to ‘A’ accessibility and were in overdrive for this mission. We have had 21-plus buildings and over 1,600 people vaccinated since May 31. Counting yesterday, this may even be 2,000.”
Staffers too
Sheth explained the jab was given to 18 plus onwards. “It is not just high-rise residents but staffers too, working as maids, drivers, building watchmen who have been vaccinated in these drives. We realised that if slots are only for 45 plus, we leave out most domestic staff who fall below 45 years. So, many employers brought them along too, for their shot. We also have at least four vaccination centres in and around Cuffe Parade. Those who wish to, can take their shots there we are encouraging that too,” said Sheth.
The drive began with Jolly Maker 3, on May 31, and a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was put in place. “After that, several building committee representatives called us at Jolly Maker 3 for details and they wanted to replicate that in their buildings. The stage was set then and it was full steam ahead”, said Sheth, enthusiastically.
Speedy moves
CPRA committee member Haresh Hathiramani said residents from a large swathe of housing societies in the Old Cuffe Parade area (Prakash Pethe Marg) have also been vaccinated a few days earlier. “What is heartening is the speed at which this drive is happening. We are enthused that staffers of households and building security have also been vaccinated. This was the first shot given to the 18-plus age group. Now, the SOPs are in place and we are sure that the second dose will be an organic, easy process as the blueprint for target Covid-19 free Cuffe Parade is already set,” he said on an upbeat note.
Locals have stated that the organisation has been spot on and buildings have also had ambulances on standby, just in case they are needed. “We are racing towards our Mission Vaccination goal towards June end,” they signed off, stressing that may be ambitious but an achievable deadline.
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