No Covid vaccination drive on today due to cyclone Tauktae

Mumbai: The Mumbai Civil Body has decided to suspend the Covid-19 vaccination drive on May 17 in the wake of Typhoon Tauktae warning, Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said. Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pandekar has said that the Covid-19 vaccination will not take place in the city tomorrow. Vaccination will continue from Tuesday, she said.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday said it would not vaccinate on May 15 and 16, considering the Indian Meteorological Department's hurricane warning. Chahal said the vaccination program would be implemented on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. According to the IMD, Typhoon Tauktae has become a very strong cyclone and is likely to reach the coast of Gujarat on the evening of May 17 and pass between Porbandar and Mahua in Bhavnagar district on the morning of May 18. BMC officials had earlier said that 580 patients had been evacuated from Covid care centers in the city as a precautionary measure in the wake of warnings that Hurricane Tauktae could approach the city. Chahal, meanwhile, said the central government has instructed to maintain an interval of 12 to 16 weeks between the two dosage shield vaccines.

Therefore, since the vaccination for other categories started on March 1, no one except health care workers and senior workers is currently eligible for the second covishield dose. Due to this change, the Civil Body has decided to extend the walk-in (vaccination) facility for citizens above the age of 60 from May 18 to 20 for the first covishield dose,” he said. Last week, BMC announced that citizens over the age of 60 who are waiting for the second dose Covishield vaccine, as well as beneficiaries and people with disabilities who have not received the second dose of the Covacine, will be able to opt for the walk-in vaccination from Monday. Until Wednesday.