Covid-19: Inoculation of frontline workers in Maharashtra from Monday

After Centre’s directive, the Maharashtra government has decided to begin vaccination of frontline workers from February 1

After Centre’s directive, the Maharashtra government has decided to begin vaccination of frontline workers from February 1.

A beneficiary is vaccinated at Nair Hospital. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

Maharashtra has 580,000 frontline workers, including police, sanitation workers and revenue machinery enrolled themselves on centralised CoWIN app for vaccine shots till date.

On the other hand, the state government has instructed civic bodies in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) to take due care to restrict potential spurt in Covid-19 cases following opening up of the suburban trains for the general public from Monday. The municipal corporations in MMR will continue with their tracking and testing drive, to keep the spread under control, besides keeping the Covid Care Centers (CCCs) intact for the next few months.

After vaccinating 261,319 healthcare workers till Friday evening, the state machinery has announced to begin inoculation of frontline workers simultaneously from Monday. The district administrations have been directed to increase or shift the number of the vaccination centres, from 239 on Friday, as per the requirement. The state government has been assured by the Centre of an adequate supply of the vaccine doses.

“Healthcare workers and frontline workers will be simultaneously inoculated across the state from Monday. We have asked the district administrations to increase or shift the centres as per the requirements. Large scale medical institutions with the Centres will have a greater number of booths. We have already started sending out the messages to the frontline workers. We have been communicated by the Center that the vaccine will be supplied as per the requirement,” said Dr Archana Patil, director, state health services.

The enrolment of the frontline workers is incomplete and is expected to add up to 200,000 more in the coming days. “Police personnel, armed forces personnel, sanitation workers, employees of municipal corporations and councils, revenue who are directly involved in Covid-19 related activities are covered as frontline workers. Around 200,000 of them enrolled so far are from Mumbai. The simultaneous vaccination of both the priority groups will help us in increasing the percentage of the vaccination too,” said another health department official.

The state government expects spurt in cases in MMR after opening up of the train services from Monday. “There could be a slight spurt in cases in Mumbai and surrounding areas, but it will be manageable as the timings have been staggered. If the government kept opening up activities slowly over the next 3-4 months, the surge could be minimal and controllable,” said Dr Avinath Supe who heads the state-appointed deaths audit committee. Before the lockdown was imposed in March 2020, over 7 million people used to travel by Mumbai suburban trains every day. Though the timings are restricted for the general public, the administration is expecting overcrowding in trains, which could lead to a surge in cases.

Suresh Kakani, additional commissioner, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said, “We do not expect much of the surge if the people adopt Covid appropriate behaviour by wearing masks and keep sanitizing hands. Our Covid centres will be functional till March 31 and the current number of tests will continue. We have continued strict surveillance of the passengers coming from countries like the UK and from other states too. All precautions are being taken.”

Chief secretary Sanjay Kumar said that crowding due to trains may lead to the surge if people let their guard down. “Municipal corporations in the MMR all prepared it there is any surge,” he said.

Vijay Suryavanshi, commissioner, Kalyan Dombivali Municipal Corporation said, “Though a surge is expected it would not be more than double in our jurisdiction. Our Covid centres in KDMC have the capacity to take up 900 patients daily. If required we will increase the testing centres at Railway stations to contain the spread. We have been strictly implementing the Covid-19 related protocol,”

Meanwhile, the state reported 2630 more cases and 42 deaths of Covid-19 on Saturday taking the tally to 2,023,814 and toll to 51,042. Mumbai’s case tally touched 3,08492 and toll went up to 11345 after the city clocked 429 cases and 7 deaths on Saturday.

The state has 44,199 active cases including 13,504 in Pune, 7677 in Thane and 5769 in Mumbai. State’s case fatality rate stands at 2.52% and the recovery rate at 95.23%.