Plea in HC for door-to-door COVID jab to bed-ridden senior citizens; court seeks govt reply

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court Tuesday sought the Centre and Delhi government's reply on a plea seeking direction to them to introduce a policy on urgent door-to-door COVID-19 vaccination for bed-ridden senior citizens here.

Notice on the PIL, which also seeks a helpline for registration of such cases, was issued by a bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh.

The petitioner is an 84-year-old Dhiraj Aggarwal who suffers from arthritis and is yet to be vaccinated as she cannot visit the vaccination centre on account of her health.

The petition also highlights that many fellow super senior and bed-ridden citizens, who are vulnerable to COVID-19, do not have private transport to reach the vaccination centre or even a family member who would help them with the registration process.

Visiting a vaccination centre also exposes senior citizens to the virus, it added.

The petitioner, represented by advocate Vinay Kumar, argued that it is the obligation of the authorities to introduce helpline and door-to-door vaccination and not doing so is against the right to life.

It is the obligatory duty of the respondent no.

1 and 2 (Centre and Delhi government) to take care of super senior and bed ridden citizens, it said, adding that denying the vaccine by not introducing a helpline number for registration of COVID-19 vaccine and a policy on urgent basis for door to door COVID-19 vaccination for super senior and bed ridden citizens in Delhi is against the fundamental right to life of a citizen.

The petition said that certain states like Jharkhand have already begun door-to-door campaign for vaccination.

The matter would be heard next on September 16.