October reports around 39% fall in Covid vaccination: BMC

According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) vaccination data, around 95% of the city’s eligible population has been inoculated the first dose, while 56% of people have been fully vaccinated against Covid

Mumbai has reported a significant drop of 39% in inoculation in October as compared to the previous month’s figures. This can be attributed to the festive season and most of the eligible beneficiaries in the city being administered their first dose. According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) data, around 95% of the city’s eligible population has been inoculated the first dose, while 56% of people have been fully vaccinated.

BMC officials point at festivals like Navratri, Dussehra as the reasons for the drop in the percentage of Covid vaccination. (HT PHOTO)

According to civic body data, between September 1 and 29, over 2.6 million citizens were vaccinated, while the number dropped to 1.6 million until October 29. The data also shows that there has been no shortage of doses, as the civic body received 1.6 million doses in October against 1.7 million doses the previous month. This means that the civic body has surplus vaccine doses in stock.

In terms of private and public vaccination centres, both have witnessed a major fall in the number of beneficiaries in October, compared to September. In private hospitals, nearly 300,000 citizens took vaccines until October 29, compared to around one million in the same period during September. In public vaccination centres, over 1.3 million citizens took vaccines in October compared to over 1.6 million during the same corresponding period in September.

Dr Sonam Solanki, consultant pulmonologist at Masina Hospital said, “There has been a decline in the number of beneficiaries of the vaccine. There are multiple reasons for that. Due to the festive season, many people are travelling. The concern and scare regarding Covid have gone down, which is why the people are not getting vaccinated.”

Dr Solanki added, “Secondly, there is a subset of patients who have gotten Covid after the first dose, and as per the mandatory requirement they have to wait another three months before taking the second dose. Another subset of the patients feels that the vaccine is not required and are still worried about the side effects, the long-term and the short term effects of the vaccine which is why they are not taking it.”

BMC officials also point at festivals like Navratri, Dussehra as the reasons for the drop in the percentage.

The BMC targets to fully vaccinate 9.2 million adult population above the age of 18 years by February 2022. “If the Central government allows, even booster doses may have to be administered. Till now 56% of the eligible population is fully vaccinated and 95% have got at least the first dose,” said the official.

Further, the BMC received the highest of over 1.7 million vaccine doses in September, 1.6 million doses in October being the second highest followed by 996,860 vaccine doses in August, 983,390 doses in July and 739,190 in June. In May, the BMC got 523,440 vaccine doses, 947,500 in April, 810,950 in March, 571,000 in February and 265,000 in January 2021. The vaccination drive was kicked off in the city on January 16, 2021, with healthcare workers. This is followed by front-line workers, senior citizens, those between 45 to 59 and lastly those between 18 to 45 starting May 2021.

Meanwhile, on Saturday 54,153 vaccine doses were administered taking the total count to 14,119,732. Out of the total vaccine doses administered, 5,300,344 citizens are fully vaccinated in the city.

.