Chennai Corporation to conduct massive vax drive from Friday

This drive will cover one lakh people aged above 45 years.

The vaccination drive has special focus on North Chennai.

Thiruvottiyur, Tondiarpet, and Thiru Vaika Nagar which had a low coverage of inoculation of those aged above 45 years are the main focus for the drive.

Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner, Gagan Singh Bedi told IANS, "We will be completing the stocks of vaccine that we have and will vaccinate the maximum number of people in a short time to cut the rate of transmission and hence this massive drive among people who have not yet taken the jabs."

There is a stock of 1.2 lakh doses of Covishield and 16,000 of Covaxin with Greater Chennai Corporation.

The Corporation will keep 20 per cent as reserve for second dose and administer the rest.

The Corporation has on Thursday conducted a review meeting of Zonal medical officers and zonal health officers and decided on the vaccination drive.

Kumaresan R , a health official of Chennai corporation said: "The vaccination drive will be held at apartment complexes, markets, residential localities and companies. Traders associations  will also be called up and administered vaccines."

According to the data available with Chennai corporation, of the 16.4 lakh doses of vaccine administered so far, Covishield accounted for 12 lakh and Covaxin 4.3 lakh.