Lactating mothers, pregnant women can walk-in to take COVID-19 jabs in Mumbai

MUMBAI: After a Central directive, the Mumbai civic body on Monday allowed lactating mothers and pregnant women to get themselves vaccinated against COVID-19 at approved centres without prior registration, officials said on Monday.

Lactating mothers and pregnant women can walk-in at the centres run by the Maharashtra government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) between Monday and Wednesday as they are now included in the list of the categories eligible for vaccination on the three days a BMC release said.

However, they have to do registration at vaccination centres.

The BMC cited the May 19 directive of the Union government permitting lactating mothers to take COVID-19 vaccines.

"While administering vaccines to lactating mothers, all the necessary guidelines will be followed. They will have to carry necessary documents about the date and place of delivery along with medical details. Pregnant women will have to produce a certificate written on the letterhead of gynaecologists from whom they are taking treatment along with a self-consent letter," the civic body said.

A BMC spokesperson said pregnant women can also walk in for COVID-19 jabs between Monday and Wednesday.

At present, Mumbai has 321 active vaccination centres, and so far, 29,80,478 citizens have been administered COVID-19 vaccines including 25,211 inoculations on Monday.

As of Monday, Mumbai's COVID-19 tally stood at 6,98,867 while the overall death toll is 14,671.