Prior registration mandatory at Mumbai vaccination centres

MUMBAI: In view of crowds being witnessed at vaccination centres in Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday announced that all the citizens who wish to get vaccinated would have to get themselves registered in advance.
Currently the city's vaccination programme is being carried out through 147 vaccination centres.
A few exceptions have, however, been made.
Those above 45 and due for a second dose of Covaxin in particular will be exempted from advance booking, but they will have to produce the provisional certificate -- digital or hard copy -- of having taken the first dose.
Healthcare workers and frontline workers who want to take a first or second dose of both Covaxin and Covishield too need not register in advance.
"The above orders will come into force with immediate effect," said the BMC chief Iqbal Singh Chahal.
The BMC said that those in charge of the vaccination centres should arrange separate queues for all the above categories.
"After the launch of vaccination drive for 18-44 years age group, all the vaccination centres are getting overcrowded and it has become difficult to maintain social distancing and Covid-appropriate behaviour there," read the order.
The in-charges of the vaccination centre have been directed to ensure verification of such appointments before allowing entry of beneficiaries into the premises.
Similarly they need to ensure physical distancing and Covid-appropriate behaviour by arranging separate queues for all the above categories.
Congress MLA Zeeshan Siddique said that since the vaccine stocks are limited, it is better to take only those who have registered.
"However once vaccines arrive in large numbers, walk-ins should once again be allowed with adequate security arrangements. This is also to ensure everyone is able to get vaccinated at the earliest," he said.