Good news: You can now get vaccinated at your doorstep in Chennai
In an initiative called ‘Sending Hospitals to Homes’, the civic body of Chennai is now bringing COVID-19 vaccines to the residents' doorsteps.
India is now at the end of the second phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive. Just as it announced the next phase where people between 45-60 without comorbidities can also get vaccinated starting from April 1, the eligible residents of Chennai can now get the vaccine at their doorstep, thanks to a new initiative by its civic body.
Called ‘Sending hospitals to homes’, the initiative aims to vaccinate a larger population of the city in a shorter span of time.
According to NDTV, two health workers visited Purvankara Windmere apartments in Chennai to vaccinate the elderly. There were other nurses as well who vaccinated those with any of the valid ID cards under the supervision of a doctor, who manned the drive.
"This is the best system for people like me, instead of standing in a queue and wasting time. I am an outgoing man and for the last one year, we were confined to this room," Krishna G Rao, a 95-year-old resident of the community told the agency.
Of the 2000-plus residents of the community, over 400 people got vaccinated within a few hours. Some of the workers including the domestic help, security, and other office staff were also vaccinated.
A glimpse of the vaccine drive at one of the apartments in Chennai
"We target vulnerable groups, the elderly, and the co-morbid who are 45 and above," Dr Logesh Yuvaraj, a medical practitioner with the Chennai Corporation said.
However, in addition to the current age group, the health workers confirmed that even people below the age group of 45 are being vaccinated through this drive. Such camps are also being conducted around many places in Chennai.
Since the onset of the vaccination drive in the city, only 6.5 percent of the population — that is, five lakh people — have been vaccinated so far. This drive aims to reach a much larger population in a shorter span of time.
"With 5 lakh, Chennai remains the highest in vaccination among cities. We want to double this to a million by this month-end and cover a quarter of the population by April by vaccinating up to 60,000 people every day," Chennai Corporation Commissioner G Prakash said.
Edited by Kanishk Singh
