Ahmedabad: Upwards of 355 individuals enlisted for the “Immunization at Home” program for Covid-19 dispatched by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), with 77 deciding on an arrangement right off the bat.
The maximum doses administered were in the south zone of the city (20), followed by the north-west zone (16) and the west zone (16). Maximum registrations until now have been from the west zone (111) followed by the south-west zone (64) and south zone (58).
With Ahmedabad city yet to achieve 100 per cent coverage with the first dose of vaccine, the civic body launched the initiative to administer vaccine at home — Covid vaccination Ghar Seva.
Less than three per cent of the near 50 lakh vaccine-eligible population is yet to receive the first dose and a little less than half of the vaccine-eligible population is fully vaccinated. “We are focusing on as many ways as we can facilitate access to the vaccine, even if it means a little more wastage as the vaccine can be out of the cold chain for not more than four hours,” said an AMC health official.
On the first day of the drive, the AMC deployed 50 teams — one team per ward — with an aim to administer at least five doses per team. Each team comprises three staff — paramedic and nursing personnel.
To enhance the drive in the most populated city in the state, the AMC resorted to various approaches, including making vaccination compulsory for entry into public buses, zoo and other public places.
Earlier this week, the AMC also announced that vaccination is compulsory to enter multiplexes, malls, cinema theatres, commercial complexes, hotels, restaurants, religious sites as well as tourist places. In June, the AMC had conducted a special vaccination drive for shopkeepers, vendors, public transport drivers, traders and others involved in high human contact professions, seeking that they either furnish their vaccine dose certificate or show a negative RT-PCR report to run their businesses.
At present, the civic body also conducts vaccination at AMTS and BRTS bus stops, administering between 1,000 and 2,000 doses each day, apart from its usual vaccination sessions at urban health centres and hospitals.
To avail the vaccine at home, AMC has circulated a Google doc link that a beneficiary should fill. The form can be accessed from the AMC website or a citizen can also call on 6357094244 or 6357094227 to register themselves. “If there is a house visit and their neighbour also expresses a wish to take the vaccine, we are administering it,” said an AMC health official.
