MUMBAI: In an affidavit filed before Bombay high court the Centre has said that NEGVAC unanimously decided to agree that Covid-19 vaccination for the elderly, specially abled cannot be given at home due to risks cited by expert panel “at this time in India’’.
It would mainly be difficult to manage effectively and timely any adverse effects following immunization and also the ‘cold chain’ said the Centre.
The NEGVAC approved the ‘near to home policy’ for such special category and opposed the door-to-door vaccination on “scientific facts.’’ An HC bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Girish Kulkarni said to the Centre “If you give reasons based on scientific basis we will not interfere.’’ But questioned the Centre’s reliance on two grounds of “exposure to healthcare and frontline health workers to undue pressure from community and security issues in the community’’ and ‘risk of getting Covid-19 infection among vaccinators and mobilizers.’’ The HC orally at the hearing of a PIL by two advocates for home jabs to the elderly and home-bound, said that the authorities could find a “workable’’ way to try and ensure no one is left out.
It posted the matter for further hearing to Wednesday.
“On the one hand your affidavit says we are absolutely concerned by concerns expressed by HC as valid concerns…where will you find societies in slums or as said earlier by us there are narrow bylanes (where even a stretcher cannot fit)…’’ remarked the bench to the Centre.
Advocate Dhruti Kapadia, one of the petitioners said the percentage of AEFI was very low when overall vaccination of 24 crore is considered.
The Central health ministry said there were 25309 AEFI cases till May 28, 2021 of which 1186 were serious and there were 475 deaths, following vaccination.
The Near to Home vaccination scheme in place since May 27 is “flexible, people centric and would follows a community-based approach’’ keep in mind the mobility concerns of the elderly and bed-ridden and vaccines will be given even in school premises, old age homes, RWA and community centres, panchayat ghar etc, said the Centre.
The HC had on May 20, given National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC) time till June 2 to examine the possibility of a door-step policy for the elderly and bedridden.
The Centre had then sought time till June 8.
The Centre’s stand is that as a policy it has to be uniform, but added that with the situation on the ground being “dynamic’’ changes would be made with expert advice.
It sought to assure the HC that “no stone is being left unturned to vaccinate as many people as possible and to reach out to as many of them, being conscious of the fact that time is of essence.’’