Mumbai municipal body places demand for 1 million doses of Covaxin

To assist people in their registration on the centralised Co-Win app, BMC will also set up camps, especially in slums like Dharavi

With the rise in Covid-19 cases, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) wants to vaccinate the public as fast as possible. To do so, the civic body has demanded 1 million units of indigenous vaccine, Covaxin.

Representational image. (HT Photo)

BMC commissioner Iqbal Chahal has set a target to vaccinate 4.5 million people in the next 45 days. This means that the city’s 95 vaccination centres will have to collectively vaccinate one lakh people everyday. To achieve the target, BMC will require more number of vaccine doses.

“We want to fasten the process, so we have demanded 1 million doses of Covaxin. As per the preliminary instruction, we will get the consignment this week,” said an officer.

In the second week of March, BMC received 63,000 doses of Covaxin. The vaccine uses an inactivated virus paired with an adjuvant – a chemical that boosts immune response. When administered, immune cells recognise the dead virus which prompts the immune system in the body to make antibodies against the pandemic virus.

Recently, its manufacturer, Bharat Biotech claimed that the vaccine has demonstrated an interim clinical efficacy of 81% in the phase 3 clinical trial.

Soon, the civic body will also start providing Covaxin to private hospitals. Already, some names have been shortlisted.

To assist people in their registration on the centralised Co-Win app, BMC will also set up camps, especially in slums like Dharavi.

“People who are willing to get vaccinated can approach these champs. There will be a help desk. The trained volunteers will help them to get registered on the Co-Win app. Following this, they can go to their nearby vaccination centere antime and get inoculated,” said Kiran Dighavkar, ward officer, G-North that covers Dharavi.

The civic body is also collaborating with local non-government organisations (NGOs) to sensitise people about the need for vaccination.

“They will go from door-to-door to encourage people, especially those above 60 years, to get the jab which will provide them protection against the virus. The volunteers will also answer to their queries about the vaccines,” said Suresh Kakani, additional commissioner, BMC.