Covid vaccination turnout in Mumbai falls to 58%

The BMC on Thursday, the eighth day of its Covid-19 vaccination drive, saw its turnout fall from 68% to 58%. According to BMC officials, they anticipate the turnout to increase during the weekend.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday, the eighth day of its Covid-19 vaccination drive, saw its turnout fall from 68% to 58%. According to BMC officials, they anticipate the turnout to increase during the weekend.

(Satish Bate/HT Photo)

On Thursday, 4,430 healthcare workers (HCWs) got vaccinated against the target of 7,700 set by the BMC. As of January 28, 27,829 HCWs have been vaccinated. Further, officials said, six cases of minor adverse effects were reported, post which the affected were kept under observation for 30 minutes and discharged. In total, around 40 cases of minor adverse effects have been reported in HCWs.

Dr Mangala Gomare, chief of BMC’s public health department, said, “The turnout probably went down due to it being mid-week, but we cannot confirm the fall to any particular reason.”

Dr Gomare added, “However, we are anticipating the turnout to go up during the weekend i.e. Friday and Saturday. We are also going to add the NESCO Covid-19 centre, which will act as 12th vaccination centre.”

On the first three days of the drive — on January 16, 19,and 20 — Mumbai’s turnout was between 50% and 52%, which increased to 92% on the fourth day (January 22), and 90% on the fifth day (January 23).

On the sixth day, Mumbai saw a 77% turnout, followed by 68% on Wednesday, but it went down to 58% on Thursday.

In the coming days, the BMC will also add more vaccination centres, including the jumbo Covid-19 facilities at Dahisar, Mulund, and the jumbo facility at Richarson and Cruddas (RC) in Byculla.

The 11 existing vaccination centres in Mumbai are the four major hospitals — King Edward Memorial Hospital, BYL Nair Hospital, Cooper Hospital and Sion hospital; four peripheral hospitals — Bhabha at Bandra, VN Desai at Santacruz, Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar and Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar hospital, Kandivli; the Covid-19 facility at Bandra Kurla Complex; and the state-run JJ Hospital in South Mumbai, followed by Seven Hills Hospital in Andheri.