Kolkata Municipal Corporation has reopened some of the mega Covid vaccination centres that were closed down before Durga Puja or even earlier.
Senior officials of the civic body said the reason behind reopening the mega centres was to ensure that those who took their first dose from these centres did not have any trouble in getting their second dose.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) conducts Covid vaccination drives from over 140 primary health centres run by it.
The mega centres were opened to vaccinate priority groups like traders, retailers in markets, drivers and others. People who did not have the option to work from home and had to mix with others every day were vaccinated at these centres.
Some of the mega centres that have been reopened are Ahindra Mancha in Chetla, Bhowanipore Education Society College on Elgin Road, Ultadanga Community Hall of the KMC.
“A large number of people had taken their first dose from the mega centres. The time for the second dose is approaching. So, we have started reopening some of the mega centres,” said a senior KMC official.
The civic body also wants to step up vaccination by opening more centres once again. The new mega centres would help ramp up the vaccination, said another official.
Several public health experts have said vaccination was a reason why the Covid mortality rate did not jump too steeply. Though a lot of people got Covid even after being fully vaccinated, they did not develop serious symptoms, said a KMC official.