BBMP launches Covid vaccine awareness drive through autos

Bengaluru: The Bruhath Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) flagged off a two-day Covid-19 awareness drive through autos on Monday to reach areas of the city where vaccine hesitancy is still rampant. The primary objective of this drive is to spread information in areas where people haven't even taken one vaccine.

In collaboration with Care India, BBMP has launched 54 autos that will traverse through the 27 Assembly constituencies where there is low coverage and spread information about the benefits of vaccination from October 12-13. Based on the impact of this drive, further decisions on extension will be considered.

Speaking to reporters at the inauguration of the event, BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta said, "In Bengaluru, 86 per cent of people have received the first dose and 50 per cent have received the second dose. But, in some areas, people have not taken even one dose and we are not able to reach 100 per cent coverage."

He added that the public has a misconception that there is a shortage of vaccines but the truth is that there is a sufficient supply of vaccines but the coverage has been less." Our main objective through this drive is to bring more people forward to get inoculated. We need to work with NGOs and public leaders to reach 100 per cent coverage" he added.

Talking about the third wave, BBMP Chief Commissioner said that due to high vaccination rates and mask compliance, Covid-19 cases have been in check." As per the technical advisory committee, the spread of the mutated delta variant could give way for the rise of the third wave. Urging citizens to continue to wear masks, he added that even after getting vaccinated, cases can arise due to non-compliance with Covid protocols.