Amid the shortage of vaccines faced by it, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Sunday received 1.58 lakh vaccines, a stock that will help the BMC undertake smooth vaccination for three days from Monday.
Confirming the development, Mumbai Municipal Commissioner I S Chahal said here in the evening: “We have received 1.5Lakh stock of covishield today. All vaccination centres in Mumbai shall be functional tomorrow. However, Covaxin will be available only at select centres for 2nd dose due to extremely limited existing stock”.
Of the 1.58 lakh vaccines received by the BMC, 1.5 lakh doses are of Covishield vaccine, while the remaining 8,000 are Covaxin doses.
Official sources said that the received stock was stored at the BMC’s Regional Vaccine Storage Center at Kanjurmarg in north-east Mumbai. “We have started the distribution of vaccines from Kanjurmarg to all the immunization centers of the BMC and also the Government and private centres, keeping in view their average daily requirement,” a BMC spokesperson said.
“Vaccine delivery began late in the evening after stockpiling. Those who have not taken the vaccine stock today will be able to carry the vaccine stock from 8 am tomorrow. In view of this, vaccination is likely to start late on Monday at some centers,” the spokesperson said.
The BMC spokesperson said that with the availability of vaccines, private centers will also be able to undertake vaccination for at least the next three days.
The BMC, meanwhile, appealed to all concerned to cooperate with its administration and the health system.
In the last few days, owing to limited availability of covid vaccines, the vaccination had been temporarily stopped at some centers from time to time.
“The vaccination campaign is being planned on a daily basis keeping in view the available stocks of vaccines as the priority is given to the second dose recipients,” Chahal said.
Alluding to the earlier shortage of medical oxygen in the metropolis, Chahal said: “All issues relating to Oxygen supply under MCGM stands resolved now. Supply situation is normal”.
Meanwhile, the stock of covacin vaccine is very limited in the available vaccine stock and the vaccine will be given preference to those who take a second dose at a few centers.
Under the Covid-19 Prevention Vaccination Campaign, the BMC and State government have set up 59 Vaccination Centers, while a total of 132 Vaccination Centers have been set up at 73 private hospitals in the metropolis.