Civic officials said that despite counselling the women during prenatal treatment, 98% of them refused to get the jab due to fear and misconceptions.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) started the mass immunization programme for pregnant women from July 15. However, even after three months, the response is lukewarm as around 1.6 % of the pregnant women have been vaccinated. Of them, only 869 have been fully vaccinated.

“We have been trying to raise awareness about the need for vaccination among pregnant women. We have pasted posters in the maternity and paediatric wards and OPDs but people are still speculative about taking the vaccine,” said Dr Mangala Gomare, executive health officer, BMC.

All civic-run hospitals have been instructed to counsel pregnant women about vaccines during prenatal treatment. “We have been sensitizing them about the safety and benefits of the vaccines. Though they initially show interest to get the jab, 98% opt out later,” said Dr Arun Nayak, head of the gynaecology department at Sion hospital, which conducts around 13,000 deliveries annually. “When a woman is pregnant, she only cares about her child, which scares her from taking the jab,” he added.

State Health Minister Rajesh Tope told The Indian Express that the public health department is also trying to raise awareness among pregnant women through ASHA and anganwadi workers in rural parts of the state.