The Greater Chennai Corporation has made available bulk vaccination bookings and has called upon Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO), social organisations, corporate companies (as part of CSR) and associations to sign up for the vaccination drive that will have a primary focus on frontline workers and essential service providers above 45 years of age. Those booking slots in bulk will have to fill a Google form that asks for the organisation’s name, nodal person’s contact details, GCC ward and zone details and their preferred location for vaccination, in addition to the number of persons being signed up for vaccination. The form also allows persons below 45 years to be a part of the group.
Companies can also utilise this opportunity to vaccinate their employees. GCC had previously allowed resident welfare associations to organise vaccination drives. Last week, Greater Chennai Corporation’s new Commissioner Gagan Singh Bedi had announced that the city would cover one lakh persons aged above 45 years, with special focus in Thiruvottiyur, Tondiarpet, and Thiru Vaika Nagar areas, over the next few days. As of May 14, a total of 16,68,157 people have been vaccinated in Chennai.
Notably, Tamil Nadu features towards the very end of the country’s vaccination figures. The statistics presented by the NITI Aayog last week shows Tamil Nadu has managed to vaccinate only 14% of its population above the age of 45. The country’s average is 32%.
Tamil Nadu, meanwhile, on Saturday recorded 33,658 new COVID-19 cases in the single biggest day spike so far. Chennai accounted for 6,640 of these new cases. A record number of 303 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, of which 75 were without any pre-existing illness, taking the toll to 17,359. On Saturday, 20,905 people were discharged, leaving 2,07,789 active infections in Tamil Nadu.
Get #Vaccinated #StoptheSpread!#NammaChennai returning back to normalcy is in your hands!
— Chennai Smart City Limited (@csclofficial) May 15, 2021
Calling upon NGOs & CSRs to help vaccinate #Chennai
Bulk Vaccination Registration is now open https://t.co/XHxNw3NXkG
*Prioritising above 45yrs aged frontline & essential service workers
Aiming to vaccinate 1 lakh #Chennaiites this week.
— Chennai Smart City Limited (@csclofficial) May 15, 2021
Register for bulk vaccinations! https://t.co/XHxNw3NXkG
We prioritise vaccinations for #frontline workers and essential service providers as a first phase! https://t.co/z6mC8K8HW9
Besides Chennai, Chengalpet added 2,013 cases, Coimbatore 3,124, Kancheepuram 1,521, Kanyakumari 1,237, Madurai 1,231, Tiruvallur 1,551, Tiruppur 1,008, Tiruchirappalli 1,263 while remaining districts clocked new infections in triple digits.
(With inputs from PTI)