Commuters Agitated Over Double-Jab Rule, Say Up To 50% Essential Workers Partially Vaxxed

Ordinary local train commuters are miffed at the authorities for what they have termed as a “disparity” between them and essential category workers. While the average commuter must comply with double vaccination, passenger activists point to the fact that just about 50% of essential workers in Thane and 72% in Mumbai have been fully vaccinated. As a result, the activists have questioned a policy that allows large numbers of partially-vaccinated individuals to share congested suburban train compartments.

- Manoj Badgeri & Sumitra Deb Roy

Mumbai:

Experts say that most essential workers, given the nature of their work, would have been exposed to the virus by now. As per BMC, 3.04 lakh healthcare and frontline workers in Mumbai have taken both doses of Covid vaccines, accounting for 72% of the category’s targeted population. But 1.21 lakh workers from this category, making just 29% of the target, have taken only the first dose. As for Thane city, only 15,707 healthcare workers, or 49% of the targeted 32,017, have taken both doses. The corresponding number of frontline workers is 3,378, or 55% of the targeted 24,135. Frontline workers include cops and municipal staff, among others.