#COVID19- From Vaccine hesitancy to Vaccine rush

DISCLOSURE – I had booked myself on Cowin portal for vaccination but did not get it because my doctor told me to avoid it for some time as I had recovered from Covid and had very strong anti-bodies and bad d-dimer report (blood clotting index). When he gave a go ahead, my Cowin portal showed that my schedule is over and I can’t reschedule though there is an option. So, I have no option but to try a walk-in.

 

Since last three days I am trying to get my first dose. And experience has been quite unnerving. Vaccine shortage is real and whatever dosage comes seems to remain in suspense for hospitals and centres till the day of delivery, that is every morning or night. This creates more scare. I am told that distribution of vaccines to various centres is state or BMC. However, that is immaterial. Problem is the uncertainty.

 

 

On Monday I called a hospital near my home in an area called Vikhroli, as I had seen sparse crowds when I had gone there for a test. They said, vaccine is over, try tomorrow. So yesterday I went there at 9 am. They said, there are only 50 doses and I was late. I was suggested that I should come the next day a bit earlier though vaccination starts at 9 am. I went to another private bigger hospital, but due to low stocks they were giving only 2nd dose.

 

Today morning I thought of trying another big private hospital closer home. But, I got a message that they haven’t received any dose. So, at 8 am I reached Vikhroli hospital. There was notice that they have not received any dose, so centre is closed. So, I drove all the way to J J Hospital in South Mumbai, the biggest state run hospital. I was told they always have stocks. There was a notice that they had only 200 doses. When I went to register at the counter, there were already around 200 people so I gave up. I called up a friend in Ghatkopar. I was told only one hospital has some doses but there is lot of crowd so better avoid.

 

 

Then I went to Bombay Port Trust hospital. They had a notice that people can come only with prior appointment. I saw around 50-70 people waiting outside but not in queue. So, I went inside and explained my difficulty of being unable to register. The peon told me that today’s tokens are over. You can wait outside and wait for an announcement. Watching the sombre scenario outside, I finally decided to abandon.

 

We from our society had approached a private company who had advertised their readiness to vaccinate. We began our communication with them. After three days of follow-ups, they said, they have not received any directions from the government so they cannot commit to any schedule. This was alarming. I wonder, why the guidelines have not been released when a much bigger campaign is being launched in next 3 days?

 

 

 

 

I feel a sense of foreboding about May 1 launch of massive vaccination drive. It comes from my experience in last 3 days. We have difficulties now to manage 60+% of the above 45 year olds who avoided vaccination so far, despite empty or near empty counters. Many probably believed that Covid infects others not them. If they are now finding it difficult to get vaccinated, how will the next lot of 45 to 18 years and huge number of over 45 years get a shot at vaccination? I hope Cowin portal servers have been scaled up now for the new registrations.

 

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1. Even if people are able to get registered with some glitches due to heavy rush, do state governments and municipal corporations like Mumbai have adequate arrangements?

 

2. Will new centres be organised quickly enough?

 

3. Have states procured their own vaccines as per new policy?

 

4. We had states who refused to procure one kind of vaccine and paid no attention to vaccination. This politically induced vaccine hesitancy resulted in additional demand build up for the next stage of vaccination. Are our local governments from state to towns to villages geared up for the vaccine rush and shortage of vaccine?

 

5. What are the plans of fulfilling the projected demand? There is no briefing by the central or state governments about how they are going to manage procurement, stocks and distribution at various centres.

 

6. Why are government taking so long to release guidelines for private operators when May 1 is practically on our head?

 

I hope respective governments talk to press, release very clear guidelines and provide details of the arrangements crisply without any legal jargons.

 

 

In another 4-5 days, Oxygen shortage will be well under control and the issue will go cold. Then the vaccine shortage issue will be the new narrative that will be multiplied by ever-ready Left lobbies and their pals in foreign media. It is high time the political parties rise above petty politics and take care of the citizens first.

 

Let us win the Covid war first, people will go with the parties or politicians who they believed did their best to mitigate their sufferings, not those who created confusion and chaos. They know that it is a global disaster, but they are also keenly watching who is genuinely working for their welfare.

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