New Delhi: As India witnesses a second wave of Covid-19, the Narendra Modi government is all set to launch vaccination drives at public and private workplaces for people aged above 45 years, starting 11 April, ThePrint has learnt.
A letter written by Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, stated that “a substantial proportion of the population aged 45 years and above are in the organised sector of the economy and are involved in formal occupations in offices (government and private) or manufacturing and services”.
Bhushan, in the letter, a copy of which was accessed by ThePrint, has asked all states and union territories to “initiate due consultations with private and public sector employers and management to prepare for the launch of workplace vaccination”.
Organising vaccination at the workplace will not only be “convenient” to the staff at workplaces, but it will “also help to avoid travel and, hence, reduce the risk of exposure to Covid-19 virus”, the letter added.
“Such workplace vaccination centres may be launched across states/UTs from 11 April 2021,” said the letter dated 6 April.
From 1 April, the government expanded the Covid vaccination drive to include all people aged above 45 years of age.
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How will it be done?
The government plans to organise the vaccine sessions at places that have around 100 beneficiaries.
“… In order to increase the access of vaccines to these populations, Covid-19 vaccination sessions may be organised at workplaces (both public and private), which have about 100 eligible and willing beneficiaries by tagging these workplaces with an existing Covid Vaccination Centre (CVC),” said the letter marked to additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries and health secretaries of all states and UTs.
Guidelines prepared
In order to support the states in this initiative, guidelines have been prepared.
The workplaces will be identified by the District Task Force, chaired by the district magistrate, and Urban Task Force, chaired by the municipal commissioner. It will be chosen after due deliberations with relevant employers or the head of the offices.
“Workplace management will designate one of their senior staff to work as nodal officer to coordinate with district health authorities, private Covid Vaccination Centres (CVCs) and support vaccination activities.”
This officer, according to the guidelines attached in the letter, will oversee and facilitate all aspects of vaccination at the workplace such as registration of beneficiaries, availability of physical and IT infrastructure, and oversight of vaccination.
The process of identification of “eligible” and “willing” beneficiaries clearly stated that “no outsiders, including eligible family members, will be allowed for vaccination at “CVC at workplace”.
Also, the beneficiaries must be registered in the CoWin portal prior to vaccination. The facility of “on-the-spot” registration will also be available, but only to employees at that particular workplace.
(Edited by Debalina Dey)
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