Doorstep jabs in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: The Telangana Government is mulling to launch door-to-door Covid vaccination programme for residents of Greater Hyderabad and other densely populated municipalities to avoid mass gatherings at the vaccination centres when the next phase of the nationwide vaccination programme begins from June 21.

The Medical and Health department will take up this programme in coordination with the Municipal Administration and Urban Development departments.

"The inoculation facility will first be provided in some identified colonies where the programme has been moving at snail's pace," said an official.

Officials have started collecting the data of vaccinated persons circle-wise in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits. Based on the information, the vaccination would be taken up directly to the citizen's doorstep.

The government felt that the vaccination centres which were set up at Basti Dawakhanas and other medical centres in Hyderabad and other major towns were not fully equipped to handle huge rush and maintaining social distancing were also becoming a problem. Providing vaccine at doorsteps would ensure smooth conduct of vaccination. Along with this, the Health Department is likely to open vaccination centres in community halls for the local people.

Till date, 78.23 lakh citizens have been inoculated and 63.17 lakh people were waiting for the second dose. In the second phase, senior citizens and women waiting for the second dose would also be covered in the door-to-door vaccination. Sources said that the poor residing in the slums would be given priority under the doorstep vaccination programme as they are vulnerable to the deadly virus. It may be mentioned here that some north Indian States, including Delhi, have been implementing the door-to-door vaccination programme.