Kolkata: New Town gets vaccine volunteers

KOLKATA: Fifty New Town residents have volunteered to help out their co-residents in the township, from registering on Co-Win to helping the elderlies reach the vaccination centres.
A few weeks ago, New Town Kolkata Development Authority had asked the residents if they were willing to work as “vaccine volunteers”, helping their co-residents with different aspects of vaccination. Gautam Bhadra, 63, was one of the first one to send his name. “When the pandemic started, I was a part of several volunteer groups, helping out senior citizens procure medicines and getting admitted to hospitals. It was a very satisfying experience for me. So when the opportunity to help my fellow residents came up, I immediately opted for it,” said Bhadra.
Fifty residents of New Town have been shortlisted and their names and numbers have been shared with others. Some are comfortable only with telephonic consultations but there are others who have opted for face-to-face consultation. “I have received several queries from residents of the township since I opted to be a vaccine volunteer. Many families are worried about the vaccination status of their house helps, guards and drivers but do not know how to go about it. Others are unable to register on Co-Win. On my off days, I have been visiting these residents and helping them out with their queries,” said Souvik Ghosh.