Mumbai: BMC begins campaign to speed up vaccination drive

As part of the campaign, it will prepare lists of children in the 12-17 age group, who have not taken either one or both doses, and senior citizens who have not taken the booster dose.

The two-month-long door-to-door campaign will continue till July 31. In most of the other parts of the country, the campaign had started on June 1.

As part of the campaign, those who have not taken the vaccine will be provided information and guided to the nearest vaccination centre.

When compared with other districts in Maharashtra. Mumbai is among the worst performers in vaccinating teenagers. According to BMC data, 28 per cent of the estimated population of 4 lakh children in the 12-14 age group have taken the first shot and 12 per cent the second.

The state health department, in a presentation to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on April 27, had said that vaccination drive needed to be promoted, as the state is below national average in all related categories.

In case of those who are in the 15-17 age group, 57 per cent have been administered the first dose and 45 per cent the second dose. The BMC has said that vaccination coverage in the 12-17 age group is very low compared to those above 18 years of age.

The BMC had also tied with NGO Project Mumbai to undertake vaccination drives in schools, but it had failed to take off. Over 500 schools and colleges, most of them run by BMC, were to participate in the vaccination drive.

With schools set to reopen after summer vacation, the BMC is again planning to organise sessions in schools and colleges on the need for vaccination. Its health officials are coordinating with the concerned educational institutes so that eligible students can be vaccinated.

Children in the 12-14 age group are being vaccinated with Hyderabad-based Biological E’s protein sub-unit vaccine Corbevax. Messages to be put up on social media are being prepared to spread the word about the campaign, said officials.