The Salt Lake civic body has started a Covid vaccination drive.
More than 400 Covid vaccine shots have been administered in Salt Lake alone as part of the drive undertaken by the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC), an official of the civic body said.
All three doses of Covid vaccines are being administered in the camps organised by the civic body.
Salt Lake, Baguiati, Kestopur and parts of Rajarhat have been witnessing a rise in the number of Covid cases. The trend is in line with the rise in cases across the state.
On Tuesday, West Bengal reported 2,659 new Covid cases.
The civic body during the day organised two camps in Salt Lake’s BJ and CD blocks, where more than 100 doses were administered.
Krishna Chakraborty, mayor of the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation and councillor of Ward 29 (where BJ Block is located), said that among the recipients were many senior citizens who were yet to receive their first or second dose.
“Many turned up because of the fact that the infection numbers are on the rise again. Apart from administering the first and second doses, we also gave booster doses to people aged 60 or above for free,” said Chakraborty.
An official of the civic body said more such camps would be held. “We are planning to hold at least one camp in each community centre and block in the township,” he said.
Another official said they were getting a good response for booster doses as well, following the Centre’s announcement reducing the gap between the second and the precaution or booster dose from nine to six months.
“A steep rise in the number of cases as well as the test positivity rate is prompting more and more people to get fully inoculated and boosted against Covid. Till a few weeks ago, the response had been lukewarm. The situation has since changed,” the official said.
More such camps will be organised in places including Baguiati, Arjunpur, Kestopur and Rajarhat.