KOLKATA: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation health department on Monday decided to do away with different time slots for people seeking first and second vaccine doses and instead said there would be a single queue for vaccination at its Covid vaccination centres (CVCs) between 10am to 4pm from Tuesday.
This is the fourth time the civic body has changed the vaccination schedule in a week, causing further confusion. Many in the 45-plus age group whose second dose is due feared they would be elbowed out by the younger lot seeking the first dose.
KMC’s schedule change on Monday was prompted by the rise in demand for the second dose. The civic authority had on Saturday decided to allocate 70% of vaccines for the first dose and decided to administer it between 10 am and 2 pm, followed by the second dose for the next two hours.
A health department official said though there would be a single queue, the staff at CVCs would prioritise second dose recipients. But, officials at CVCs said it would be a challenge to prioritise second dose recipients in a single queue as first dose recipients ahead in the same queue would question and even oppose being overtaken.
KMC may also need to allocate more vaccines for recipients of second dose from this week. This was evident after the rise in demand for the dose at vaccination clinics and mega centres on Monday. Some medical officers at the clinics have stressed on the need for an increase in supply of second dose vaccines.
“After witnessing a rise in demand, we now need to reconsider the allocation of second dose vaccines later this week. We believe that the demand for second dose will rise from next week as the 18-plus group will queue up in droves,” said a KMC medical officer at a Tollygunge clinic.
Some citizens in 18-45 age group, who were awaiting their second Covishield dose on Monday, went to different clinics to inquire about stock. “I went to a clinic in Jadavpur and was told to collect coupon by standing in a queue early on Wednesday. I was told that only 30 second dose shots will be administered on that day,” said Uttam Saha, a Baghajatin resident and a student.
