Four Mumbai wards show 1st dose coverage of only 40-55%: BMC

MUMBAI: Four Mumbai civic wards have low first dose coverage of the Covid-19 vaccine, according to an assessment carried out by the BMC.
Wards found lagging were L from the eastern suburbs, R Central from western suburbs, and G North and B from south Mumbai.
L (Kurla-Chunabhatti) is at the bottom with 40% first dose coverage and 24% second dose coverage. R Central (Borivli, Gorai) which has given the first shot to 44% and second dose to 37% is the second lowest. The first dose coverage of G north (Dharavi, Dadar, Mahim and Shivaji Park), was 52% and that for the second dose was 35%. For the thinly populated B ward (Dongri and Umarkhadi), the first dose coverage was 55% and second dose 39%.
To micro-analyse the actual coverage across 24 wards, BMC collated doses administered at vaccination centres in each ward and compared it with the ward’s estimated population. Findings are not fool-proof as CoWin doesn’t recognise geographical limits, said a civic official. But the exercise was carried out to get a rough idea about pockets where coverage is less.
Mumbai has statistically achieved 100% first dose coverage on Friday. But there are wide variations. Several wards show 40-85% coverage while certain others have vaccinated more than 300% of their population, the data showed. D (Malabar Hill-Warden Road), for instance, has posted first dose coverage of 350%. Against an eligible population of 2.53lakh, 8.89lakh doses have been given. Similarly, A ward (Fort-Colaba-Churchgate) has registered single dose coverage of 192% and second dose coverage of 151%. At least 10 wards have more than 100% single dose coverage.
An official said wards with more vaccination centres, or those that started early in the drive, have administered more doses. “It is, therefore, difficult to say, which ward has reached how much coverage accurately. People in Kurla, for instance, could have got vaccinated elsewhere,” the official said.
Officials of L ward said their first dose coverage (74%) and second dose (42%) was higher than what was deduced from the assessment. “More than 75% of the population lives in slums. They cannot afford any mode of transport other than trains, and hence people have got vaccinated. They may have taken the shots in other wards and hence may not be reflecting in L ward figures,” said Dr Jitendra Jadhav, medical officer of L ward.