Delhi govt to administer booster shots at home to those with limited mobility

A senior health official said that if any eligible person above the age of 60 years, is either bedridden because of illness or disability, they will be administered the third precautionary dose at their homes

The Delhi government will administer at home the Covid-19 booster shot to senior citizens and the differently abled with limited or restricted mobility, senior officials of the health department said on Tuesday.

An official said that while the Delhi government began at-home vaccinations for senior citizens and the differently abled last year itself, on the directions of the central government, they were unable to extend this service to as many people as they would have liked. (Sourced)

A senior health official said that if any eligible person above the age of 60 years, is either bedridden because of illness or disability, they will be administered the third precautionary dose at their homes.

“It is unlikely that there will be many such persons who have already completed nine months after their second dose. Any bedridden 60-plus individual who by nature of his/her illness or disability is rendered eligible for the precautionary dose by their doctor shall be administered the dose at home,” the official said, asking not to be named.

The official also added that while the Delhi government began at-home vaccinations for senior citizens and the differently abled last year itself, on the directions of the central government, they were unable to extend this service to as many people as they would have liked.

In August 2021, the Delhi high court issued notices to the Centre and the Delhi government, based on a petition filed by an 84-year-old senior citizen who informed the court that she was unable to visit a vaccination centre to get her jabs as she was suffering from severe arthritis. The petition also pointed out that several senior and bedridden citizens, who were vulnerable to Covid-19, did not have private transport to reach a vaccination centre or even a family member to help them with the registration process.

In September, the Centre issued directives to state governments to make arrangements to vaccinate “those with restricted mobility, who cannot step out of their house to get vaccinated, such as the differently abled, elderly or those with special needs” at their homes.

A senior official of the east Delhi district said all district officials have been reaching out to senior citizens who have completed nine months since their second dose to come and get their precautionary shot. For all of those who are eligible under this category, but are unable to reach their nearest vaccination centre, a facility of at-home vaccination has been extended.

“Apart from sending text messages to those senior citizens who have completed nine months since their second dose, we are also reaching out to the eligible people on phone and asking them whether they have the means to reach the vaccination centre. The vaccination process is taken care of by trained vaccinators, following the requisite standard operating procedures,” the district official said, asking not to be named.

Delhi started vaccinating senior citizens, healthcare and frontline workers with a third precautionary dose from January 10 and they are being administered the same vaccine as their first and second dose. On Day One of the drive on Monday, 18,835 precautionary doses were administered in Delhi, according to the Co-WIN data, of which 8,040 were given to senior citizens.

On Tuesday, 22,265 precautionary doses were administered, with 6,083 beneficiaries being above the age of 60 years, the government data showed.