BMC to set up 227 more vaccination centres for 18+ in Mumbai; drive not starting on May 1

As Maharashtra opens up its vaccination drive to 18-44 year olds, BMC on Wednesday, said that 227 new civic centres will be set up soon across the city where people above 18 years will be vaccinated. The 73 private vaccination centres will also be increased to 100 centres soon, said BMC. Presently the 63 BMC centres are vaccinating above 45 year-olds only.

Maharashtra mulls lockdown extension

As COVID surge continues in Maharashtra, state govt is mulling to extend the current lockdown by another 15 days, said Health Minister Rajesh Tope. While the final decision will be announced by 30 April, Tope said that an extension was likely as COVID deaths have continued to rise. Moreover, vaccination for 18-44-year-olds will happen only after May 20, as additional Covishield doses are not available till that date. The Co-WIN portal which opened registration for those above 18 years, only allows registration as most states will be unable to begin vaccination of 18-44-year-olds as they have run out of stock.

Finally, the Maharashtra cabinet announced that it will provide free vaccines to 5.71 crore beneficiaries aged between 18-45 years as India gears up for the third phase of the inoculation drive from May 1. While minister Nawab Malik had already announced the same on Sunday, there was confusion after Congress opposed the announcement, saying the decision will be taken by CM Uddhav Thackeray. The govt has floated a global tender to attract international vaccines as part of the state's immunisation drive. As of date Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Goa, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Bihar, J&K, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Telangana and Sikkim have announced free vaccines to all adults above 18.

Tope added that Bharat Biotech has said only  10 lakhs Covaxin doses will be provided to Maharashtra for this month, which will be ramped up to 20 lakh doses/ month post-July. While only 1.5 - 2 lakh vaccine doses were available with the stat claimed Tope, Centre has said that more than 1 crore doses still available with the states and that more than 80 lakh doses would be delivered in the next three days. Maharashtra is mulling to import Sputnik V vaccines from Russia, while the Serum Institute of India has reportedly promised 1 crore COVISHIELD doses per month. Tope has also suggested that the Opposition BJP should approach the Centre along with the MVA govt for vaccines, Remdesivir and oxygen.