While it was initially planned to vaccinate 8,000 healthcare workers on Day 1, BMC on Friday decided to half the number. (Express Photo) Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal will inaugurate the city’s vaccination drive from the BKC jumbo Covid-19 facility on Saturday, with 4,000 healthcare workers expected to get the shot on the first day.
Across Mumbai, 1,500 healthcare workers have been trained in the vaccination process but only one-fourth will be roped in for the inoculation drive on Saturday.
While it was initially planned to vaccinate 8,000 healthcare workers on Day 1, BMC on Friday decided to half the number.
Executive health officer (BMC) Dr Mangala Gomare said that SMSes with details on the vaccination have been sent to only 4,000 healthcare workers. “It is the first day of vaccination. We are not sure what to expect. To make the process smooth, we plan to vaccinate only 4,000 people. From the next day, the numbers will double,” she added.
While the BMC has set up between five to 10 booths at each centre for Saturday, only 40 will be put to work across the 10 vaccination centres. Each booth will run one shift on Saturday, with two shifts likely from Sunday.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani said, “If suddenly, several centres start accessing the Co-WIN app, there may be issues of Internet lag and the app slowing down. The government has asked us to begin with fewer booths and scale it up after a few days.”
The BKC jumbo facility, with 15 booths, is the city’s largest vaccination centre. Dr Rajesh Dere, Dean of the facility, said they have trained 100 healthcare workers in the process of immunisation. “On Saturday, we will need only 28 to 30 heathcare workers since only one shift will run,” he added.
The centre has a large waiting area with over seven registration counters for beneficiaries. An intensive care unit with seven beds has also been set up to handle adverse effects from the shot, if any.
Across Mumbai, nine centres have been allocated to administer Covishield and one centre in JJ hospital to administer Covaxin. Dr Pratima Patil, superintendent of Shatabdi hospital in Kandivali, said they will allow beneficiaries to start entering from 9 am. “But the vaccination process will start after the CM inaugurates the drive. We have been told to inoculate all beneficiaries listed for Saturday on Saturday itself. Nobody will be carried forward to the next day,” Patil said. The vaccination drive is scheduled to begin at 10.30 am.
On Friday, all vaccine centres were given access to Co-WIN’s login ID. A doctor from Shatabdi hospital said they have to immediately report any cases of adverse events on software besides informing BMC. The software will be used to validate each beneficiary’s details, and produce a vaccine certificate. A gap of 28-30 days will be kept between two doses of the vaccine.
In Rajawadi hospital, 500 healthcare workers will be vaccinated on Saturday. “Since it is the first day, we have been told to vaccinate fewer people. It will also give us time to deal with any issues that may spring up,” said superintendent Dr Vidya Thakur.
Once SMSes were sent to beneficiaries using Co-WIN, BMC went on to prepare a list for each centre and distribute the same to them. Hospital authorities said they expect a fresh list every day.
Doctors, nurses and paramedic staff who have registered for vaccination will be asked to visit a centre closest to their workplace.