'Don't know when this ordeal will end': Mumbaikars react as BMC suspends today's vaccination drive

MUMBAI: With the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) suspending today's vaccination drive due to the unavailability of doses, several residents took to social media platforms to express their anger.
In a tweet, the civic body informed that all BMC and Government vaccination centres will remain closed on July 1, 2021, saying, "We apologize for the inconvenience. Please watch this space for updates regarding vaccination centres and schedules.
It added that the vaccination drive will resume once it receives the fresh stock of vaccines.

Following that, Mumbaikars expressed their unhappiness and said wondered when the ordeal will end.
"Apologies do not work. It is so difficult to get a second dose. There are long queues every day. People stand for hours and come back disappointed without getting the vaccine. Don't know when this ordeal will end," tweeted a user named Vijay.

Some people, who had booked their appointments for jabs on Thursday, were confused whether they would receive their doses or not.
"Our appointment is already scheduled on Cowin at a govt centre tomorrow morning for Covaxin 2nd dose. So does it stand cancelled now?" Payal Mukherjee asked in her tweet.


Meanwhile, some Mumbaikars wondered if it was a bid to drive people to private hospitals to get the jab with a price rather than availing free vaccine doses at government centres.
"In private hospitals, too many vaccine doses are available. Why? If Mumbai reopens quickly, then give every day 5 lakh vaccine. Please don't sell the vaccine at this time. 'First people, then private'," wrote Nilesh Shah.

"Private hospitals have got thrice their normal quota for tomorrow whereas the free vaccination centres are shut. Scam to divert people to private hospitals," another resident Azmina Kotadiya tweeted.

Meanwhile, 54,35,731 citizens have been inoculated in the metropolis so far. Out of them, 10,72,578 beneficiaries have received the second dose as well, BMC informed.
On Wednesday, 63,579 people received the jabs, including 20,259 who got the second dose.
Mumbai has 281 BMC-operated centres, 20 government-run centres, and 98 private facilities. There are 399 Covid vaccination centres in Mumbai presently.