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Updated 14 May 2021
Kolkata, popularly known as ‘The City of Joy,’ ironically, is one of India’s most severely affected cities in this pandemic. Since the nationwide mass vaccination drive has started on January 16, people are eagerly anticipating the end of the devastating pandemic soon. So what are the vaccines available right now?
How is this densely populated megacity planning to vaccinate its citizens?
Updates on the COVID vaccine in Kolkata
Like most cities in the country, Kolkata is experiencing an acute shortage of vaccines. In spite of queuing up at vaccination centres for hours together, Kolkatans are being denied the jabs due to the unavailability of the vials.
Amidst such dearth, the Centre’s plans to open vaccination for all adults remain uncertain in the city. In the beginning of May several, both, government-run and private hospitals in Kolkata had floated notice that they are stopping the COVID-19 vaccination camp for a while as there is shortage of vaccines in the state.
What vaccines are available now?
Covishield
The Covishield is based on the viral vector platform. In simple terms, it is made from a weakened version of a common cold virus, called adenovirus, from chimpanzees and has been modified to look more like coronavirus.
On May 13, the Indian government increased the interval between the first and second doses of Covishield to 12-16 weeks. It has a shelf life of 9 months at a normal refrigerator temperature of 2-8 degrees celsius.
Overall efficacy: around 90%
Covaxin
Developed by Bharat Biotech and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), COVAXIN is India’s first indigenous COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Covaxin is an inactivated vaccine. It contains the dead virus, which prompts an immune response but doesn’t infect or make the person sick.
Covaxin requires two doses given 28 days apart and can be stored at a normal refrigerator temperature of 2-8 degrees celsius. It has a shelf life of 24 months.
Overall efficacy: 80.6%
Sputnik V
Sputnik V got approved by DCGI on 13 April and will soon become available for distribution.
Russia’s Sputnik V has also conducted a combined phase two-three trial in India. This has been under the initiative of Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) which went into a distribution partnership with the firm in September. Now approved, it will be manufactured domestically in the country by five different companies.
Overall efficacy: 95%
When can Kolkata residents be vaccinated?
The Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Harsha Vardhan, has mandated registration through the CoWIN (Covid Vaccine Intelligence Work) website for administering the vaccine.
Like the rest of the country, vaccination in Kolkata will be carried out in three phases:
- Phase 1 focuses on health care workers.
- Phase 2 is for the police, armed forces and disaster management volunteers.
- Phase 3 focuses on individuals above 60 and those between 45-60 with comorbidities.
- Phase 4 includes all adults (above 18 years) in the vaccination program
Due to the shortage of supply, Kolkatans in the 18-45 age group may have to wait longer for their turn.
Where to get vaccinated in Kolkata?
The West Bengal Health Ministry has released a comprehensive list of vaccination centres in the state and its capital city, Kolkata.
Check the complete list of vaccination centres in Kolkata here.
Some of the government medical colleges administering vaccines are as follows:
Medical College Hospital Kolkata
88, College St, Calcutta Medical College, College Square, Kolkata, West Bengal 700073
RG Kar Medical College and Hospital
1, Khudiram Bose Sarani, Bidhan Sarani, Shyam Bazar, Kolkata, West Bengal 700004
Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital
138, Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Rd, Sealdah, Raja Bazar, Kolkata, West Bengal 700014
Calcutta National Medical College & Hospital
32, Gorachand Rd, Beniapukur, Kolkata, West Bengal 700014
Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research
244, Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Rd, Bhowanipore, Kolkata, West Bengal 700020
Chittaranjan Seva Sadan Hospital
83, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Rd, Bakul Bagan, Bhowanipore, Kolkata, West Bengal 700026
Till April, private hospitals used to procure doses from the state government. All private hospitals stopped Covid vaccination on May 1, the day the new vaccination policy of the Centre took effect. In the new system, private hospitals have to procure vaccine doses directly from manufacturers.
Only two private healthcare units — Woodlands Hospital and Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals — have since resumed Covid vaccination.
How to register for vaccination in Kolkata?
Appointments for vaccination can be booked through the CoWIN website or the Aarogya Setu app.
Keep in mind that every user of either platform can register at the most 4 beneficiaries.
CoWIN
- Open the CoWIN online portal.
- Click on the ‘Register/Sign In Yourself’ yellow button. Those who are using it for the first time will need to register themselves with their photo ID proof (Aadhar Card/ Driving License/ PAN Card/ Passport/ Pension Passbook), photo ID number, name, and birth year. Those who have registered can sign in with an OTP.
- Click on ‘Schedule Appointment’.
- Once you enter the pin code of your area, you’ll be shown a list of vaccination centres in that area of Kolkata.
- Select the timing slot comfortable for you and ‘confirm’ your appointment.
Aarogya Setu
- Download the app on Google Play or iOS App Store.
- On the app’s homepage, click on the ‘CoWIN’ tab on the top right.
- Select the ‘Register Now’ option and verify your mobile number with an OTP.
- Fill in details such as name, age, gender, year of birth, etc, and upload a photo ID proof.
- Search for your convenient vaccination centre in Kolkata by entering the pin code of your locale, and choose the date and time of your appointment.
Upon successful registration, you will receive an SMS with the appointment details.
UMANG
- Download the UMANG app on Google Play or iOS App Store.
- First, register yourself on the app (if you haven’t already done so) with an OTP.
- Click on the “Health” category and select “Co-WIN”.
- Fill in details such as name, age, gender, year of birth, etc, and upload a photo ID proof.
- Search for your convenient vaccination centre in Mumbai by entering the pin code of your locale or your district, and choose the date and time slot convenient to you.
Upon successful registration, you will receive an SMS with the appointment details.
How much will the vaccination cost?
The vaccines are available at government vaccination centres free of charge while private centres charge INR 250 for a single dose of either vaccine.
