CHENNAI: After private hospitals in the city stopped the ‘vaccine-at-doorstep’ facility, senior citizens have requested hospitals to resume the service since it may attract more people to vaccination.
About a week ago, a private hospital in Kelambakkam began the ‘vaccination at home’ service for those aged 45 and above. After it received a good response, a handful of other hospitals too started the service. However, they had to stop after the government instructed them against it.
“Each patient must be monitored for at least 30 minutes after administering the vaccine. There could be blood pressure or cardiac issues. That is why every hospital has resuscitation tools and emergency medicines in the vaccination room. Spending 30 minutes with every patient in their homes may not be a viable option,” said an official from the public health department.
However, senior citizens say the government itself can introduce the service with necessary precautions. “The State can make use of ambulances and turn them into mobile vaccination centres. The vehicles can be equipped with emergency medicines and tools. This also reduces the risk of a senior citizen contracting the virus while venturing out,” said a 64-year-old retired doctor at Guindy, on condition of anonymity.
They also said that, already, vials are going waste due to people not coming forward to get vaccinated.
“The government can hold camps in areas with high senior citizen concentration. One vaccine vial can be administered to 10 persons and if camps are held, no vial will go waste,” said 71-year-old P Ranganathan, residing at Besant Nagar.