Weather and conditions at centres permitting, vaccination to resume

After a gap of three days, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will resume its Covid-19 vaccination drive for walk-in beneficiaries on Tuesday.

However, as per the new policy of the civic body, the drive, on Tuesday and Wednesday, will only be open for above-60 age group going to take their first dose of Covishield and Covaxin beneficiaries due for a second dose.

“For the next two days (May 18 and May 19) at the vaccination centres, only people above 60 years will be allowed to walk in. No online appointment will be issued. The list of vaccination centres will be published early on Tuesday morning,” officials said.

After heavy rain in Mumbai, which caused water logging in some parts of the city, there are concerns about the condition of vaccination centres in those areas.

In many of these centres, citizens line up in an open ground to await their turn for the vaccine. With a forecast of light to moderate rain for Tuesday, many are worried whether senior citizens would have to line up on waterlogged grounds.

The BMC has asked local ward officials to inspect the vaccination centres to check for damage due to rainfall and wind.

Due to a warning of heavy rainfall due to the cyclonic storm, the vaccination drive in the city was suspended on May 15.

Following new guidelines issued by the health ministry, those awaiting the second dose of Covishield will be eligible after May 24 and thus, the civic body will administer the first dose of Covishield to beneficiaries aged above 60. Covaxin will be given only to those needing a second dose.

After complaints of mismanagement and glitches on CoWIN app, the BMC recently introduced a pilot project to streamline the immunisation drive. Under this, for three days of the week — Monday to Wednesday — the BMC will allow walk-in or spot registration to the nearest centres for beneficiaries aged above 60, those seeking second dose of Covaxin and specially abled persons. For the rest of the three days — Thursday to Saturday — 100 per cent online appointment through CoWIN will be permitted. There will be no vaccination on Sundays. If the project is successful, vaccination will continue in the same format in the state, officials added.