Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today launched a door-to-door survey to vaccinate people above 45-years of age at their polling booths after the number of people to get the jab at vaccination centres plunged.
Announcing an ambitious plan, Mr Kejriwal said that if there is no shortage of vaccines, everyone above 45 years of age will be vaccinated in the city within four weeks. There are 57 lakh people in Delhi who are above 45 out of which 27 lakh have received their first jab.
Polling booth-level officers will be enlisted by the Delhi government who will be knocking at every door in their wards and allotting a slot for taking the jab to everyone above 45 years, the Chief Minister said in a press conference. He added that this plan will come into effect from Tuesday in 70 wards of the capital.
"Few people are turning up at the vaccination centres for the above 45 years age group. So we have decided instead of waiting for people, we will go to them for vaccination," Mr Kejriwal said.
Delhi has around 280 wards. Each week, vaccination will take place in 70 wards, Mr Kejriwal announced.
"After covering all the 280 wards in four weeks, the government will be able to say that all those eligible (45 years and above) have received the vaccines,” Mr Kejriwal said.
Adding that everyone knows where there polling stations are, the Chief Minister said that since the booths are at a "walking distance" from their homes, people should be easily able to go to get the vaccine.
If someone refuses to take the jab, booth level officers and civic volunteers will try to persuade them to take the vaccine, he added saying the officers are already in training. Those who get the time slot for vaccination but don't turn up to take the jab, the officers will again go to persuade them to get inoculated.
E-rickshaws will also be made available for the people to take them from their houses to the polling booth so that they can reach easily, the Chief Minister said.
The process will be repeated in two rounds for both doses of the vaccine. Mr Kejriwal also added that the Delhi government will follow this plan to vaccinate the 18-44 age group as well when the capital has enough doses.
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