Bombay HC: Many are hesitant to take Covid-19 vaccine – Times of India

MUMBAI: Covid-19 vaccines are available but many are hesitant to take them, observed the Bombay high court on Friday while extending protection for entire Maharashtra from orders of eviction, demolition and dispossession till October 11.
“It is not that vaccines are not available. Rest of the population is hesitantly taking vaccines. Those who are interested have already taken the doses,’’ said Chief Justice Dipankar Datta, who led a full bench, when urged to increase the speed of vaccination.
From October 12, the interim protective order will cease to operate except in five districts – Ahmednagar, Pune, Satara, Osmanabad and Ratnagiri. For these districts, it shall stand extended till October 21 and is unlikely to be extended unless circumstances justify it.
The court heard suo motu PIL to protect those unable to access justice due to restricted functioning of courts during Covid-19 pandemic. Advocate general Ashutosh Kumbhakoni submitted a chart that showed Covid positivity rates between September 29 -October 5 in the state is 2 % and 1.2 % in Mumbai. “The positivity rate is slightly increasing but it’s not worrisome,’’ he said, informing that admissions and critical cases are on the decline.
The chart also revealed that from February to October 6, almost 91 % of the population in Mumbai and 65 % in the entire state took the first dose. The percentages were 48 and 28 for the second shot. The AG said 0.39 % of those who took the single vaccine and 0.23 % who took two doses are still getting infected. “So that is less than 1 per cent,” said the CJ.
Advocate Uday Warunjikar, for a bar association, urged to extend the protective order for 2 weeks as there are five districts where the positivity rate is more than the rest of Maharashtra. He said Mumbai citizens are required to take both doses of vaccine followed in a 14 day gap to avail public transport. The AG opposed extension saying in Mumbai, development projects like the Metro are affected, there is increase in encroachments and illegal constructions.
When Warunjikar urged to speed up vaccinations, the judges said in Mumbai in August 9 lakh persons were vaccinated and in September some 19 lakh. The CJ then said people are hesitantly taking vaccines and also referred to news reports that nurses are taking to the streets to vaccinate people.