BMC expected to get third vaccine consignment next week

The civic body has around 17,50,00 Covishield and Covaxin doses. As the BMC has started inoculating both healthcare workers and frontline workers, it requires around 50,00,00 vaccine shots.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is likely to get the third consignment of Covid-19 vaccines next week, officials aware of the matter said. The civic body has around 17,50,00 Covishield and Covaxin doses.As the BMC has started inoculating both healthcare workers and frontline workers, it requires around 50,00,00 vaccine shots. Two doses of the vaccine are needed to be given 28 days apart.

Health workers prepare the emergency medicine counter in the Covid-19 vaccination room at the Super Speciality Hospital. (Bloomberg)

“We still do not know the number of vaccines the Centre will send us. But as per the preliminary communication, we will get the vaccines by next week,” said Suresh Kakani, additional commissioner, BMC.

As per the rules of the Indian Council of Medical Research, beneficiaries of both the vaccines will have to take two shots. The first dose helps the immune system create a response against Sars-Cov-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. The second dose boosts the response to ensure long-term protection.

The BMC will have to start inoculating the beneficiaries from February 14, who took the first jab during the beginning of the mass immunisation programme from January 16. “We have the list of the beneficiaries. To be extra careful, along with the Co-WIN app, we will inform them individually through telephone,” said Kakani.