The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) in Gujarat on Wednesday asked the owners and managements of all private establishments in the city, including large residential societies and commercial complexes, to restrict the entry of those who have not taken vaccine against coronavirus despite being eligible for it.
Last month, the AMC declared that people wanting to access public services and civic-run amenities, like city buses, BRTS (bus rapid transit system), swimming pools, libraries, sports complexes and various civic centres, will have to show their vaccination certificates.Now, the same rule will be applied for people to enter private premises.
As per an AMC circular, people above 18 years of age who have not taken the first dose of vaccine or those who have not taken the second dose despite being eligible for the same, must not be allowed to enter private establishments like hotels, restaurants, religious places, tourist spots, theatres, clubs, commercial complexes, party plots and large residential societies.
According to the AMC’s health department, the ongoing vaccination drive against the COVID-19 pandemic in the city received a much needed boost after the civic body made it compulsory for citizens to show their vaccination certificate for accessing public amenities last month. “To further boost this drive and make sure that all the eligible people in the city receive at least first dose, the AMC has taken this decision regarding private premises. We urge non-vaccinated citizens to contact nearby health centres to get the vaccine,” the circular said.
Till now, 66.84 lakh citizens, or 97 per cent of the city’s eligible population, have been given the first dose of vaccine while 44.97 lakh (49 per cent) people have received the second dose also, the AMC release said. The AMC aims to achieve 100 per cent coverage of the first dose, it said.
The civic body also said that it will organise vaccination camps in the premises of those residential societies or commercial complexes where more than 100 occupants are eligible for taking the vaccine.