E-Paper
Drive to target housing societies to ensure maximum Covid vaccinations in Pune
Our target is to vaccinate 100 per cent of the population in the city with both Covid doses. To reach maximum people, we have decided to undertake vaccination drives in housing societies
PUNE With the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) claiming 100 per cent of beneficiaries in the 18-44-year age group have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, the next focus is housing societies –big and small – to ensure the maximum beneficiaries across age groups are vaccinated with at least one dose, if not both.
The PMC, therefore, has decided start vaccination drives in housing societies, an announcement for which was made by the civic body on Wednesday.
“Our target is to vaccinate 100 per cent of the population in the city with both doses. To reach maximum people, we have decided to undertake vaccination drives in housing societies. Earlier, such drives were carried out in slums,” said city mayor Murlidhar Mohol. The PMC claims to have also vaccinated bed-ridden beneficiaries across age groups.
According to PMC immunization officer Dr Suryakant Deokar, this week, the PMC has been able to vaccinate even more than the estimated population in 18 to 45-year age group, 103% in total, given the floating population coming in from Pimpri-Chinchwad and rural parts of the district.
The Pune civic body has been able to administer 4.94 million doses, of which 3,153,205 people received a first dose and 1,788,745 have taken both doses.
The central government has estimated that Pune city’s population is 4,210,592.
According to the civic body, members of housing soceities can directly contact the PMC ward offices, which will make provision for vaccination within society premises.
Mohol said, “PMC has published the health officers’ numbers working with each regional ward office. The housing societies can contact the health officer and carry out the drive.”
A PMC officer spaking on the condition of anonymity said that many still have to take second shot of the vaccine. However, civic officials observed that a significant population is hesitant to take the second dose and are not fully vaccinated even if they qualify after gap of 84 days for Covishield, and 28 days for Covaxin.
The age group above 45 years is the most hesitant to take the second shot, possibly due to side effects after the first dose and the ebbing of the second Covid wave.
Covid vaccinations in the city
First dose
Age group 18-44: 103%
Age group 45-59: 84%
Age group 60 and above: 79%
Second dose
Age group 18-44: 41%
Age group 45-59: 71%
Age group 60 and above: 65%
