The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has suspended the vaccination drive for three days from Friday-Sunday since the existing stocks of Covid-19 vaccines have run out.
In Mumbai, there are 63 civic-run vaccination centres and 73 centres are managed by private hospitals. The anti-COVID vaccination programme for the 18-44 age bracket is also likely to be deferred as well. All those above 45 years of age are being vaccinated at present, according to a BMC statement.
Vaccinations can resume for those above 45 years of age once the vaccines are available. Those above 45 years should not fear that they will not get the life-saving jab once the drive for the 18-44 age group begins, BMC said.
The BMC further added that as soon as vaccines are available, the priority group will the above-45 age category. The civic body noted that people should not be worried due to the long gaps between the two doses as "if there is a longer gap, the body develops some anti-bodies against COVID-19."
"We were told on Wednesday night that we would get around 75,000 vials of vaccine. With such a low supply, the BMC opened only some vaccination centres, while others were kept closed (on Thursday)," additional commissioner Suresh Kakani said. Kakani added that out of the existing stock, some 50,000 vials had been used and the vaccination drive was suspended since they did not have enough doses to continue with.
Serpentine queues were spotted outside vaccination centres in Mumbai on Thursday. The BMC also allowed those eligible to get the jab to walk in at vaccination centres without prior registrations on the Co-WIN app.
Fifty four-year-old Smriti Bindra, who waited for more than three hours at the Nesco vaccination centre in Goregaon told news agency PTI, "We have been standing here for more than three hours but the queue is not moving at all. We are not sure whether we will get a dose today."
Since vaccine supply is short 'only for now', senior citizens don't have to stand in long queues, additional municipal commissioner Ashwini Bhide said. She also assured those above 45 years of age that they will be vaccinated.
Edited by Mehak Agarwal
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