Booster recipients up 136% in Maharashtra as govt gives free shots

MUMBAI: In the fortnight since the free Covid-19 booster drive started on July 15, there has been a 136% increase in the number of recipients across the state.
"From 60,000 a day, the number of people seeking the booster has jumped to 2 lakh daily. This is a good response,'' stated state vaccination officer Dr Sachin Desai.
While 10 lakh people had taken the booster shot till July 15, the number increased to 24 lakh on July 29, show state government statistics.
In Mumbai, where 3.6 lakh people had taken the vaccine till July 15, the number increased by 38% to 5 lakh so far.
"We get around 10,000 people on an average daily since the free drive started,'' said BMC executive health officer Dr Mangala Gomare.
While the government started offering free booster or precautionary doses to healthcare and frontline workers from January, it expanded the programme to all adults in April.
However, people in the 18-59 age group could only take the booster vaccine at private centres.
For a 75-day period from July 15, the central government announced free booster doses for all.
"Many are not taking the booster because they possibly feel the free drive has come a bit too late after the recent surge,'' said a doctor.
State immunisation officer Dr Desai said that there is "negligence" on the part of the people in not taking the booster dose in higher numbers.
"While the two-lakh-a-day turnout is good, it's not as much as it should have been. Many are not taking the vaccine,'' he added.
A civic doctor said that the main people taking the booster vaccine are those who need it for travel or health reasons. "As long as the vulnerable sections take it, it is fine,'' said the civic doctor.