No Doorstep Vax, Drive Taken ‘Near To Home', GOI Tells HC

Mumbai: The National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (Negvac) has unanimously decided shots cannot be given to the elderly or specially-abled at home “at this time in India’’ due to risks cited by an expert panel, the Centre told the Bombay high court through an affidavit.

Opposing door-to-door vaccination on the basis of “scientific facts” like difficulty in timely and effective management of possible adverse reactions and maintaining the cold chain for the vaccines, Negvac has, however, approved a “near to home” policy since May 27. It is “flexible, people-centric and follows a community-based approach’’ keeping in mind the mobility concerns of the elderly and bed-ridden. So vaccines will be given at school premises, old age homes, housing complexes and community centres, panchayat ghar, etc, the affidavit said.