Polling booths in Delhi to be turned into vax centres: Kejriwal
Whilethe Delhi government's 'door-to-door' ration delivery scheme is a freshpolitical flashpoint between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Centre, chiefminister Arvind Kejriwal has decided to use his flagship scheme for vaccinationdrive in the national capital.
Addressinga digital press conference on Monday, Kejriwal announced to start massvaccination campaign naming - 'Jahan Vote, Wahan Vaccination', adding that vaccinationcentres to be shifted to polling booths in each Assembly Constituency of Delhi.
Theprocess has been started including training of booth level officers (BLO), whoalong with a civil defence volunteer will visit residential colonies, will booka slot for vaccination and will appeal to the citizens of Delhi to pay a visitto where they vote for Covid jabs, Kejriwal told the press.
Thefour-week vaccination campaign will cover as many as 70 municipal wards everyweek, with an objective to administer the first dose to all the citizens above45 years and above.
However,as of now, people only aged above 45 will be covered under the scheme as Delhigovernment's vaccine stock for 18-44 age group is not available."Door-to-door awareness drive will be launched soon in Delhi. The firstphase of the campaign will start in 70 wards and we have set a target to givethe first dose of Covid vaccine to all citizens who are above 45 years of age.People of 18-44 age group will also be included in the scheme once the Centreprovides vaccines for youth," Kejriwal said.
Delhihas around 280 municipal wards in all 70 assembly Constituencies.
Citingthat people are not visiting Delhi government's vaccination centers, so it willbe shifted to polling booths. The Delhi government is providing freevaccination at government-run schools, apart from hospitals and otherhealthcare centers.
"Peoplein the 45 plus age group are not coming to vaccination centres on their own.So, we will now visit their homes," Kejriwal stated.
Hefurther informed that out of 57 lakh people in the 45 plus age group, 27 lakhhave been vaccinated with the first dose. Now they will be given anti-Covidvaccines at polling booths.
Thisdoor-to-door vaccination campaign, however, seems a political move of Kejriwaleying Delhi Municipal Corporations (MCD) elections scheduled for next year.