Mumbai: 61,000 doses arrive, vaccination at public centres to resume today

An out-of-stock board outside a Kandivli hospital on Wednesday. Pic/Satej Shinde

With the arrival of 61,200 doses, the BMC will resume the vaccination drive on Friday. Poor and inconsistent supply has prevented the inoculation programme from moving at a brisk pace so far. Ever since the drive started six months ago, only 15 lakh citizens have received both doses and at this rate, it will take another seven months to vaccinate the eligible population in the city, said officials.

Vaccination at public centres was suspended on Wednesday and Thursday due to a paucity of stock. Officials said such disruptions have happened on five occasions since June 21 apart from weekly offs. There are 309 public centres in the city that can inoculate around 60,000 people in a day.

As per BMC's latest report, 15.13 lakh people have received both doses and another 35.41 lakh have been administered a single shot. While there are around one crore people above the age of 18 years in the city, only 65 lakh doses have been provided since January.

The city got 21 lakh doses in the last month and requires around 1.40 crore more jabs. "If the current speed continues, it will take nearly seven months to complete the vaccination. But we are expecting more stock of vaccines in the coming months," said a BMC official.

Shots in slow motion

>> No. of people given both doses: 15.13 lakh
>> People waiting for second dose: 35.41 lakh
>> People waiting for both doses: Around 50 lakh
>> Those who took their first shot on Wednesday and Thursday: 23,009
>> People who got their second dose on Wednesday and Thursday: 12,420