This story is from February 26, 2021

NDMC clocks mere 42.6% vaccination rate, Narela zone lowest at 11.8%

At a time when the city is gearing up to move to the next phase of Covid vaccination, the official data of North Delhi Municipal Corporation shows that only 42.6% of its targeted healthcare and frontline workers have taken the jab.
NDMC clocks mere 42.6% vaccination rate, Narela zone lowest at 11.8%
Picture used for representational purpose only
NEW DELHI: At a time when the city is gearing up to move to the next phase of Covid vaccination, the official data of North Delhi Municipal Corporation shows that only 42.6% of its targeted healthcare and frontline workers have taken the jab.
The outer Delhi zones like Narela have as low as 11.8% vaccination rate, indicating severe resistance in rural belts, while the count is slightly better in Keshavpuram (33.1%) and Karol Bagh (38.1%) zones.
The data shows that a total of 33,534 staff members, nurses, doctors, sanitation workers and teachers were expected to be vaccinated by February 23, but only 14,286 — 42.6% — have taken the shot. The overall vaccination rate in Delhi is around 60%.
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A zone-wise analysis shows that Rohini region has been at the forefront with 54.8% vaccination rate, followed by City-Sadar Paharganj zone — mostly Old Delhi and Walled City areas — where half of the targeted 5,979 municipal employees have taken the jab. Civil Lines zone has vaccinated 40.2% of the beneficiaries while the vaccination rate is 49.1% at Civic Center, the north corporation’s headquarters.
Sanitation workers unions have alleged that their members were being verbally warned that their attendances would not be marked if they didn’t turn up for vaccination. Delhi Commission for Safai Karamcharis had warned that pressure tactics would invite summons from it. The civic body has since announced that it is a completely voluntary process.
The sanitation department had projected that 21,455 workers would be vaccinated, but only 8,723 (40.6%) has taken the shot. The rates have been lowest in the house tax and community service departments with 21% and 12.5% vaccination rates. The public health department has shown the highest rate at 70.63%.

A senior municipal official said several steps had been taken to encourage the staff members to take the shot, including flexibility in assigning the vaccination centre and departmental heads taking the shot first to boost the confidence of lower-rung staffers. “The process is completely safe, but we can’t force anyone,” the official said.
With schools pushing towards return to offline teaching, the low vaccination rates among teachers and school staffers indicate a worrying trend. Only 2,249 out of the 6,865 education department staff have taken the shot. The corporation has over 700 primary schools with over 2.9 lakh children and over 8,000 teachers. According to the civic body’s education department data, 1.56 lakh students are being taught through WhatsApp groups.
The four big municipal hospitals have been at the forefront of the civic bodies’ vaccination drive. On February 23, 453 shots were administered in these facilities and only two cases of adverse events were reported. Cumulatively, Hindu Rao Hospital has seen 1,838 vaccinations, Kasturba Hospital 1,156, Balak Ram Hospital 991 and Gidhari Lal Maternity Hospital 974 shots.
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