The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is organising a special vaccination campaign — starting from June 21 — to expedite the inoculation of those listed as priority groups by the Karnataka government, which include hotel staff, police personnel, their families and street vendors among others. During a virtual meeting on June 20, BBMP chief Gaurav Gupta instructed concerned officials to make preparations in compliance with COVID-19 guidelines, to set up camps and vaccinate eligible beneficiaries. He said that the idea of micro-plans in eight zones of the BBMP, setting up of camps and deployment of teams accordingly, will enable the civic body to vaccinate more people.  Through this campaign, the BBMP plans to inoculate 65,000 beneficiaries in one day.

Camps must be set up to vaccinate street vendors, garment workers, cab and auto drivers, vendors in the APMC markets, bank staff, hotel staff, and construction workers, the BBMP chief said, adding that a successful campaign should be conducted without any hindrance. The civic body plans to set up over 300 camps across the eight zones of Bengaluru.

The civic body chief further said that local residents should be made aware of the vaccination camps. He said that Marshals should be deployed at these vaccination sites to ensure that COVID-19 appropriate behaviour like physical distancing and wearing masks is being followed. Senior officials should visit the site and inspect the vaccination process, he added.

"As per the direction of the Union government, a nationwide vaccination campaign is being conducted on June 21. Priority is being given to those above 45 years of age," a BBMP statement said. “The vaccination of beneficiaries who are to receive a second dose, vaccination of health workers and frontline workers, eligible beneficiaries recognised by the government in the age group of 18 to 44 years, and the frontline workers who've worked in the health sector will be vaccinated as per government directions,” it added.

The Bengaluru civic body head also noted that they are now administering the first dose of Covaxin to those above 45 years of age.