Offices can hold vax sessions from April 11

Offices can hold vax sessions from April 11

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:   08.04.2021

The health ministry has allowed workplaces — in both public and private sector — to organise vaccination sessions for their employees from April11 to ramp up the exercise amid rising infections.

However, only employees aged 45 years and above can get vaccinated and outsiders, including eligible family members, cannot be vaccinated at such sessions. The move is aimed at making the vaccination drive more “citizencentric” as a substantial proportion of the population aged 45 years and above work in the organised sector of the economy. The ministry also issued guidelines to support states/ UTs to help organise these sessions.

HC: Wear mask even if alone in your car

Upholding a Delhi government decision in 2020 to fine a single occupant of a car if they didn’t wear a mask, the Delhi HC on Wednesday ruled that a mask is a “suraksha kavach” and wearing it is compulsory even if one is driving alone in a private vehicle. This also holds true if one has been vaccinated, it said.

Beneficiaries will need to register on Co-Win portal

Health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said in a letter to all states and UTs: “Covid-19 vaccination sessions may be organised at workplaces (both public and private) which are having about 100 eligible and willing beneficiaries by tagging these work places with an existing Covid Vaccination Centre (CVC).”

The sessions will still require beneficiaries to register on the Co-Win portal prior to vaccination, and the workplace management will designate one of its senior staff members to be the nodal officer for coordinating with district health authorities or private CVC and support vaccination activities.

Facility for onsite registration will also be available, but only to employees of the workplace.

“The schedule of vaccination session can be made up 15 days in advance and intimated to the work place so that maximum attendance is ensured on the day of the vaccination.

“In most of the work places vaccination schedule may, however, be completed in less than 15 days,” the guidelines said.

“The work place CVCs staff engaged in COVID-19 vaccination will follow existing SOPs for vaccination and reporting adverse events following vaccination,” it added.