The Maharashtra Congress on Wednesday appealed to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to initiate door-to-door vaccination against COVID-19 in the State.
In a letter to Mr. Thackeray, State Congress president Nana Patole wrote, “All citizens above 18 years will be eligible for vaccination from May 1. This will pose the danger of the virus spreading due to crowds at vaccination centres.”
Mr. Patole added that universal vaccination has proved to be an effective measure against COVID-19. “Maharashtra has undertaken a massive vaccination drive, but due to strict restrictions, beneficiaries are facing difficulties in reaching the vaccination centres. In rural areas, people are suffering because of fewer vaccination centres, which are situated at distant locations.”
Mr. Patole said so far over one crore vaccine doses have been administered in the State. “Since a large number of trained personnel will be required to take the drive forward, the State government should seek the help of staff at private hospitals and NGOs along with utilising government resources. Polio was eradicated by implementing a similar nationwide campaign. If the vaccination drive is carried out on the same lines, we will be able to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases considerably,” the State Congress chief said in his letter.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai (Suburban) Guardian Minister Aaditya Thackeray on Wednesday said a vaccination centre should be set up in each of the 227 wards of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. “It is important to open vaccination centres in all wards considering the population of Mumbai and the ongoing spread of COVID-19,” said Mr. Aaditya Thackeray, while inaugurating a vaccination centre at Wadala (West).
