CHENNAI: The Chennai Corporation has set up a special Covid-19 vaccination camp at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, which aims to vaccinate around 2,500-3,000 people on Saturdays. It has 10 medical crews headed by senior doctors and other paramedical staff; and will also have 20 beds along with ambulances and emergency facilities.
Corporation commissioner G Prakash, said that it was a walk-in facility and shall be used by office-goers and others who may not be able to find the time to get a jab during weekdays. “Depending on the experience here, we have also planned similar special camps at spacious premises in other parts of the city, like the trade centre in Nandambakkam.
We may also extend it to Sundays,” Prakash said. At present, there are around 350 vaccination centres in the city including PHCs, community healthcare centres, government hospitals, mini clinics, and private hospitals. Around 30,000 people are being vaccinated on a daily basis. On Saturday alone, as many as 14,800 tests were done.
“People should volunteer to get vaccinated. In the next 45 days, we aim to vaccinate 25-30 lakh people in the city, after which, there will be a sharp decline in the caseload,” Prakash added. In the next phase, other frontline workers like housemaids, hotel waiters, cab, and auto drivers may get vaccinated since they come in contact with several people everyday during their course of work, he said. A request from the bankers’ associations to also include them under this category is being considered.