E-Paper
Maharashtra gears up for smooth Covid vaccination from May 1
With the Centre allowing Covid-19 vaccination for everyone above 18 from May 1, over 90 million people are now eligible to get doses in Maharashtra. As many as 73% of the state’s population is aged above 18
With the Centre allowing Covid-19 vaccination for everyone above 18 from May 1, over 90 million people are now eligible to get doses in Maharashtra. As many as 73% of the state’s population is aged above 18. Officials said the state has the infrastructure to vaccinate 90 million people, but concerns remained about the supply of the vaccines.
Supply
The state currently receives its stock of vaccines from the Centre, which lasts only for 3-4 days. With the addition of over 60 million people to the existing list of 33.8 million beneficiaries, it needs to get a higher quota to conduct the drive expeditiously.
Funding
A significant chunk of the population is likely to opt for a free vaccination. Officials said the state will have to mobilise funds for purchasing vaccines for free distribution.
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The state government is expecting detailed guidelines from the Centre on the funding and how many doses it needs to buy and to directly procure from the manufacturers. It is also waiting for the Centre to fix the price of vaccine to be bought from manufacturers. The cash-strapped state has asked the Centre to bear the cost of vaccination to the poor.
Infrastructure
The state will have to mobilise extra manpower, increase the number of vaccination centres in rural areas for the smooth roll-out of the expanded vaccination drive. It will also have to invest in refrigeration facilities for storing vaccines across the state.
Distribution network
Maharashtra has networks of immunisation machinery up to the primary health level.
Managing crowds
Officials expect people to turn up in large numbers at vaccination centres from May 1 and extra burden on the enforcement machinery busy in enforcing the strict curbs to check the pandemic in the state. The Maharashtra government is expected to rope in private players and NGOs for the smooth expansion of the vaccination drive.
