Amid concerns over the Omicron variant, the Guardian Minister of Mumbai Suburbs Aaditya Thackeray on Monday said that the state government will urge to Centre to reduce the gap between the Covid-19 vaccine doses so that it can complete 100 per cent of the second dose for Mumbai by mid-January. Addressing the media after a review meeting of Mumbai's Covid-19 readiness at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters yesterday, Thackeray said that 100 per cent of Mumbai's population has been vaccinated with the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, while 72 per cent have received their second dose.

"We would be requesting the Union government to reduce the gap between two doses, without altering our vaccine delivery schedule, so that we can complete 100 per cent of the second dose for Mumbai by mid-January," he added. As per government sources, no state ruled by Congress or its allies has been able to give the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine to over 90 per cent of its population and the second dose to over 50 per cent of its residents. They said at least seven BJP ruled states have got over 90 per cent coverage of the first dose and eight BJP ruled states have touched 50 per cent coverage of the second dose.