BMC's next challenge: A database for COVID-19 vaccines

Members of the city task force for vaccination at their first meeting at the BMC HQ

Although planning for the vaccination against COVID-19 is happening on war footing, and the task force has not faced major difficulties yet, members are worried about overcrowding at the inoculation centres. The city task force for vaccination will seek the help of the police to tackle any arising situation. The BMC is also working on data for the first and second phase of the inoculations and while senior citizens and those with co-morbidities will make it in the third phase, it currently does not have any information on them.

Arriving passengers being tested at Dadar station on Friday. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

The first meeting of the city task force for vaccination took place at the BMC headquarters to discuss the preparations after the vaccines arrive, on Friday. The BMC plans to vaccinate 1.25 lakh health care workers in the first phase, then frontline workers (including police and conservancy staff) and then citizens above 50 years of age or with co-morbidities in the third phase. "The health workers will receive a message on their registered mobile number. The information about the centre, date, time with a One Time Password will be sent and only they will get the vaccine," said Suresh Kakani, additional commissioner of the BMC and the chairman of the task force.

"While only health care workers will get the vaccine in the first phase, and the plan is to eliminate overcrowding, there still is a possibility of desperate people gathering outside the centre," said Dr Hemant Deshmukh, dean of KEM and member of the task force.

"There aren't major challenges in planning. We have storage capacity, manpower and training, but we discussed issues at the execution level such as security of the vaccines, and law and order issue due to overenthusiastic people arriving for inoculations; along with how to tackle cases of adverse reactions of the vaccine if any. We will seek the help of the police regarding law and order," said Dr Mangala Gomare, executive health officer of the Public Health Department of the BMC.

No data for third phase
The BMC is preparing data for the first and second phase. While senior citizens and people with co-morbidities will get the vaccine in the third phase, there isn't any data of these people with the BMC or the state health department.

"We don't need any data for the third phase. These people can get the vaccine with documents like Aadhaar card, PAN card etc and papers which clarify their other illnesses, or whether they already had COVID-19. This will be done with the help of the Co-Win app developed by the central government," said Dr Deshmukh. "This is the first time such a vaccination programme is taking place. There aren't any guidelines as yet on how to implement it for the general public in the third phase and thereafter. We will get to know the challenges once we start vaccination for the first phase," said another task force member.

Teams to be deployed
The BMC will deploy 500 teams of five members each across the city for vaccinations. There will be a task force at ward levels also. The members included in the execution of the vaccination programme will be trained. Currently a workshop is on for the main trainers. All the teams have to stick to the Standard Operations Procedure and the task force will keep an eye on the procedure. The BMC has prepared a 5,000 square feet area in a building at Kanjurmarg for the storage of the vaccines. The government has also created a digital platform to collect and manage all statistical information in the vaccination programme.

There is also the possibility that some people may refuse the vaccines. The task force team also discussed this to provide educational material for awareness."As we ask health care workers for mobile numbers and email ids to register for the vaccine and as they are sharing the personal information, it means they are willing to get vaccinated. Even if some of them change their mind, we will not forcibly inoculate them," said Kakani. "Even if there isn't any compulsion to take it, it is better that everyone gets vaccinated," advised Dr Deshmukh.

1.25 lakh
No. of health care workers to be vaccinated in first phase

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