The Centre agreed today to expand access to the vaccine by allowing it to be administered at workplaces with about 100 registered and ready recipients. This comes in the wake of an outbreak of the disease. States and Union Territories have been asked to make appropriate arrangements for the program’s arrival on April 11.
The vaccine will be limited to those aged 45 and over, according to the government, after widespread pressure for it to be made available to all adults. According to recent health ministry data, younger persons, especially girls, are particularly vulnerable to the disease in the second wave.
“With the help of the State Governments/UT administration, the attempts have been to constantly make the vaccination campaign more pragmatic, as well as more acceptable and purposeful to the beneficiaries,” the health secretary wrote in a letter to the Chief Secretary today.
“Covid-19 vaccination sessions can be organized at workplaces (both public and private) with around 100 eligible and willing (to facilitate optimal utilization of vaccine dosage and reduce wastage) beneficiaries by tagging these workplaces with all existing COVID vaccination centers,” Rajesh Bhushan, the union health secretary, said.
The union health ministry has prepared guidance and shared them with the states to assist them in the initiative. “Please begin proper meetings with employers and management in the private and public sectors in order to prepare for the start of occupational vaccination. In the note, Bhushan stated that “such workplace Vaccination Centres can be opened across States/UTs from April 11th, 2021.”
Organizing vaccination at work, according to Bhushan, would not only be easy for employees, but it will also help to prevent flight, lowering the chance of exposure to the covid-19 virus.
The Nodal Officer will monitor and support all facets of vaccination at the workplace CVC, including beneficiary identification, physical and IT equipment availability, and vaccination supervision, according to the guidelines.
Only workers aged 45 and over will be eligible for vaccination at work, according to the government, and no outsiders, including eligible family members, will be able to participate in the “CVC at Workplace.”
