The Mumbai Police who started the vaccination drive for its own personnel for over three months has found that 5,341 personnel are yet to take their first shot.
With 87.29 per cent of the police force at least having taken the first jab, senior police officials have decided to reach out to the remaining personnel and encourage them to take their doses.
The move comes after the Mumbai police till date has lost 115 personnel to the virus, and frontline workers are constantly exposed to the threat of contracting COVID-19. The force, which has a strength of 45,000 personnel has seen 8,792 policemen contract the virus since last year, and has 316 active cases.
Being frontline workers vaccination for Mumbai police was started in the second phase in February. Of the total force 36,682 police personnel have received their first dose while only 64.22% that equals to 26,985 police personnel have so far received both shots, said police.
The city police chief Hemant Nagrale has asked the senior police officers to encourage the remaining police personnel to take their jabs. The Mumbai police spokesperson DCP S Chaitanya said, “We are reaching out to them and encouraging them to take vaccines”.
According to the police officials, those who are undergoing treatment for COVID-19 are unable to take the vaccine as well as those who recently recovered from the deceased, as the treatment itself generates antibodies. The vaccine is not immediately advisable to women cops who are either pregnant or recently delivered.
Even with multiple reasons, the number of over 5000 personnel awaiting their first jab is alarming which has even surprised the senior police officers. They are trying to ascertain the reason as to why so many cops have not taken their first vaccine shot despite being frontline workers and asking them whether they are reluctant to take the shot due to any misconception or due to any medical history.
The vaccination ratio of the state police excluding the city police is similar to that of Mumbai police. Of the 1,54,110 strong Maharashtra police force 1,35,900 persons have taken the first dose which is 88.18 per cent, while only.31 per cent across the state police have been completely vaccinated which covered 89,871 police personnel.
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