PUNE: As many as 2,558 youngsters associated with skill and vocational training centers, popularly known as Light House, received the vaccine as part of a three-day endeavor undertaken by health officials of the Pune Municipal Corporation. The centres are jointly run by the civic body along with NGO Pune City Connect.
In addition to vaccinating the youngsters, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials are also gearing up to reach out and vaccinate over 4.5 lakh residents of 390 slum pockets spread across the city. The special drive is likely to begin this week.
“Of the 13,000 youths attached with Light House, 2,558 were vaccinated over the last three days. In addition to covering the remaining youngsters, we also aim to conduct vaccination of other residents living in slum pockets within the city limits this week,” said PMC’s immunization officer Suryakant Deokar.
Atul Mane, coordinator at Pune City Connect, said, “The youths were vaccinated at our centres located within or outside the slum pockets. Their family members were also vaccinated during the special drive conducted at Hadapsar and Bhawani Peth on July 5, 10 and 13.”
The Pune Municipal Corporation staff has also started vaccinating ‘super-spreaders’ by setting up centers at public places, after receiving permission from the state government.
Super-spreaders is a term used to describe persons, who seem to be able to infect large numbers of people with minimal contact, much more than the average person.
“We are conducting special drives for people coming into contact with a large number of citizens by setting up centers at public places, following permission from the state government. In total, 10,000 individuals, including traders, shopkeepers, vegetable vendors, fuel pump attendants, courier and food-delivery agents, among others. We aim to vaccinate another 30,000 such individuals in the next two months,” Deokar said.
