Delhi to have vaccinations for people above 45 years at polling stations as Kejriwal ramps up drive

The BLOs will visit households in 72 wards from Tuesday to identify and send eligible persons for vaccination

Amid reluctance among 45 plus people to go to far-away Covid-19 vaccination centres, the Delhi government on Monday announced 'Jahan Vote, Wahan Vaccination' campaign in which polling booths will be turned into vaccination centres and booth-level officers (BLOs) visiting households to book slots for such people.

This was announced by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during a digital address.

He said 27 lakh out of 57 lakh people above 45 years have got the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine so far while the remaining 30 lakh has not got a single dose.

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"These 30 lakh people have to be administered the vaccine. The problem that is being faced now is that the vaccination centers that we have opened up remain mostly empty, and very few people turn up to get vaccinated because of which the medicine remains unadministered. Keeping that in mind it was realized that without waiting for the people to come to us, we have to go to the people," he said.

In the first week, the BLOs will start visiting households in 70 wards from Tuesday to identify eligible persons for vaccination at the polling booths.

"From today onwards, in the 70 civic wards of Delhi, this scheme is going to be started. There are 272 wards in Delhi and there are two Assembly seats where there are no wards, so if we are to assume 4-4 wards each, then there are 280 wards in total in Delhi. Every week this initiative will be carried out in 70 wards. The first week in 70 wards and the next week in 70 wards, so in that sense, within 4 weeks this initiative will be completed," he said.

With polling booths near their homes, Kejriwal said people need not travel long distances to get the jab. E-rickshaws are also being arranged to ferry people to the vaccination centres.

The government plans to cover all the people in this category in four weeks. "After covering all the 280 wards in four weeks, the government will be able to say that all those eligible have received the vaccines,” he said.

After three months, there will be a similar drive for second dose vaccination. "When we will get vaccines for the 18-44 age group in the required quantity, we will start this programme for them too,” he said.

"Those who refuse to get vaccinated then the BLOs will try to convince them that vaccination is the only effective method against Covid-19. A team of 2-3 people will go to every house and will give them slots to get vaccinated," he said.