Door-to-door vaccination: Over 2,600 jabbed in a month, says Mumbai civic body

According to the BMC data, as of Tuesday, 2,673 citizens have got their first dose and 76 their second dose

Almost a month after starting door-to-door vaccination in the city, over 2,600 bedridden citizens have been vaccinated, according to the data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

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Acting on the directives of the Bombay high court, from July 30, the BMC launched a door-to-door vaccination drive for bedridden citizens. The preparations were undertaken from the first week of July. An email ID was created – covidvacc2bedridden@gmail.com.

The BMC received around 4,500 requests. The BMC said the vaccine beneficiary has to be bedridden for the past six months and will need a ‘fit to take vaccine’ certificate from his/her doctor.

After the application, an appointment is scheduled at home and a doctor’s presence is mandated for the 30-minute observation, followed by signed consent of the beneficiary or family.

According to the BMC data, as of Tuesday, 2,673 citizens have got their first dose and 76 their second dose.

An official said, “There are times when citizens apply and do not pursue it further, there are times ineligible citizens also apply with the eligible citizen. They cite reasons like not being able to go out for vaccination considering they have to look after their bedridden relative. However, we do not give vaccines to relatives or family members of bedridden citizens.”

Considering the BMC administers only Covaxin as per its policy, several beneficiaries who want Covishield or want a second dose of Covishield get ruled out of the programme.

Along with the BMC’s team of doctors, nurses and ambulances, the vaccination is also being done with the help of NGO Project Mumbai, which has been assigned 12 of the total 24 administrative wards of the BMC. The NGO has so far vaccinated close to 1,000 beneficiaries of the total over 2,600 vaccinations done in homes.

Shishir Joshi, CEO and founder of NGO Project Mumbai, said, “Of all the initiatives across the last 15 months, Project Mumbai has found immense satisfaction in this one – serving the bedridden. We also appeal to doctors who can volunteer 30 minutes of their time, to join the Project Mumbai team in this initiative. They can write to us on info@projectmumbai.org.”

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, 54,634 citizens got the vaccine dose and till now 8,799,510 citizens have been vaccinated, of which 2,266,230 citizens are fully vaccinated.