Visit vaccine centres near home: Police- Till late on Sunday, the government had not issued specific orders about those who may be eligible for the second dose of Covishield

Several officers The Telegraph spoke to said many people who had stepped out to visit markets asked them how they could visit jab centres in absence of public transport

On Sunday, app cabs were far fewer in numbers resulting in a steep surge in fares. “How will I go for vaccination when there are no buses and autos?”, was a question many cops on roads faced on Sunday.:  PTI

Kinsuk Basu , Monalisa Chaudhuri   |   TT  |   17.05.21  :  The health department and police officers have advised Covid vaccine recipients to visit centres near home over the next fortnight, when public transport will largely remain off the road as part of the Covid containment measures of the Bengal government.

As buses and autos are not allowed to ply during the period, those without private vehicles have to depend on app-cabs to visit vaccination centres at faraway places. On Sunday, app cabs were far fewer in numbers resulting in a steep surge in fares. “How will I go for vaccination when there are no buses and autos?”, was a question many cops on roads faced on Sunday.

Several officers The Telegraph spoke to said many people who had stepped out to visit markets asked them how they could visit vaccination centres in the absence of public transport.

“I advised each of them to visit a centre near home so that they did not have to worry about public transport,” said a sergeant posted near the Gariahat crossing.

Another officer in Behala who had faced a similar concern from an elderly Calcuttan said: “I advised the gentleman to avoid going to any far off vaccination centre. He said the centre near his home was at least 1km away. He then came up with an idea and said he would ask his neighbour’s son to drop him off at the centre,” the cop said.

The police said many expressed concern that they were not in a position to walk to the vaccination centres. Nor can they afford to hire a vehicle.

People who called up the health department helpline on Sunday were given the same advice — go to a vaccination centre near home.

From Monday, the Calcutta Municipal Corporation has arranged for vaccination at a health centre in each of the 16 boroughs. All these centres will be administering Covaxin from 10am to recipients who have valid documents to prove they are eligible for the booster dose.

Till late on Sunday, the government had not issued specific orders about those who may be eligible for the second dose of Covishield. “We are trying to open two centres in a few boroughs across the city,” said a CMC official.

Amid the assurances, a section of citizens remained wary about visiting a vaccination centre twice, particularly those who don’t have their own mode of transportation.

“On Sunday,I had to wait for quite long to get an app cab from Shyambazar to Chadni Chowk and the fare was double the usual amount,” said a north Calcutta resident who works in an emergency sector.

App-cab operators said they had remained off the platform because the number of bookings was low and not everyone had documents to show that there was a valid reason to travel.