Amid a shortage of vaccines in the national capital, the Delhi government in Thursday decided to allow walk-ins COVID-19 vaccination for people aged 45 years and above, and shift vaccination centres from hospitals to schools for this age group.
The decision was taken after Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia chaired a review meeting on the ongoing vaccination drive in the city.
"Now citizens aged 45 years and above will be able to walk-in to get vaccine jabs without hassle of online registration," said Sisodia, who is also the nodal minister of the Delhi government for COVID management.
Presenting the daily vaccination bulletin of the Delhi government, ruling AAP MLA Atishi warned about running out of vaccine stocks for beneficiaries including those in the 45 years and above age group.
"For the healthcare and frontline workers, and those above 45 years, Covaxin stock left only for three days and Covishield stock for two days," she said at a briefing.
The first vaccine shots will be "ineffective" if those above 45 years don't get their second dose due to unavailability of vaccines, she said and appealed to the Centre to rush supplies at the earliest.
Sisodia said after receipt of adequate vaccine supplies "we will administer 1.5 lakh doses to those aged 45 years and above and 1.5 lakh doses to 18-45 years age group cumulatively."
He also appealed to the Centre to redirect adequate doses of vaccines as Delhi government wants to vaccinate three lakh people daily in the city.
"After reviewing challenges of citizens with regard to internet accessibility and issues in registering online slots, we have made a decision to allow registration and walk-in vaccination at all vaccination centres of Delhi, for individuals above 45 years of age," he said.
Sisodia said the Delhi government is planning to quickly scale up vaccination centres across the city, ensuring that they have all the required material to vaccinate a large number of people in a short amount of time.
These centres will be open six days a week barring Sundays, he stated.
The Deputy CM said out of 57 lakh citizens above 45 years of age, 22 lakh have been vaccinated so far.
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