Public response surges, over 2,500 senior citizens get jabs in region

Pune: Day 3 (Wednesday) of the Covid vaccination drive for citizens saw numbers of senior citizens and those above 45 with underlying conditions climb across the Pune Metropolitan Region (PMR).

This is despite the heat, long lines and CoWIN niggles at certain sites.

The 27 vaccination sites in Pune city limits had 1,378 senior citizens and 148 citizens above the age of 45 turning up. At Pimpri Chinchwad sites, there were 1,063 senior citizens. And in Pune rural, 840 elderly and 44 with underlying conditions turned up on Wednesday.

Officials said crowding at some sites — largely because of the simultaneous vaccinations of healthcare workers, frontline staff and citizens — will ease once more vaccination centres open up across the region.

At the Bindumadhav Thackeray clinic in Karvenagar, the crush overwhelmed both staff and beneficiaries. Yashomati Gurav, 71, who arrived at the site at 9.30am waited until 12pm for her turn.

“There is not enough staff here. The PMC should increase the number of personnel,” she said.

At Sutar hospital, there was no immediate access to a wheelchair for senior citizens. Senior citizens in the queue also requested the hospital’s administrators to move their vaccination site to the ground floor, for better convenience.

But the vaccine experience for many has started to improve. Kothrud resident Dr Jayant Wable (73), who came with his wife Vijaya to Sutar hospital, said, “On Tuesday, we had to go back without getting our jabs, because of the crowd. But it was much smoother on Wednesday. We came in at 12pm and got our shots at 2.30pm. The staff were very helpful,” he said.

At Kamala Nehru hospital, Vijay Matnani, who arrived with his 77-year-old mother, Jyoti, from Wakad, said, “My mother has trouble walking. But the staff here immediately provided us a wheelchair. She received her jab within 15 minutes.”

Rajesh Patil, commissioner of the PCMC, said the CoWIN system too has started to stabilised.

“The vaccination process is becoming smoother. Once the private hospitals join in, we expect improved amenities and response from the public,” he said.

Sanjay Deshmukh, deputy director (health), Pune circle, said, “The response of beneficiaries despite shortcomings from our side has been really admiring. We will improve the system. The private hospitals in the region — empanelled and non-empanelled — will start administering the vaccine within a day or two, which will also result in a better experience.”