Centre’s U-turn: Cos can inoculate employees’ kin

Centre’s U-turn: Cos can inoculate employees’ kin

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:23.05.2021

Reversing its earlier policy, the Centre has allowed private and state entities to vaccinate not just employees but also their dependent family members.

The fresh advisory to states, issued on Friday, came after companies and industry bodies took up the issue with the health ministry, arguing limiting vaccination against Covid-19 to employees was not going to help the process. The companies received the communication on Saturday.

Several companies, both in the public and private sectors, had already lined up vaccination programmes for their employees and their family members.

While the May19 advisory was seen to be holding back the drive, Friday’s letter said the clarifications followed several queries and were aimed at “further accelerating” the inoculation process.

Now, the government has allowed family members and dependents – as defined by the employer – to be covered under the programme at industrial and workplace Covid Vaccination Centres .

Mixing vax feasible, but no proof: Niti

It is possible in theory to mix first and second doses of different vaccines, but there’s no robust scientific evidence for India to make this a permissible practice, said Niti Aayog member (health) Dr VK Paul on Saturday. Studies are on and evidence abroad and in India is being evaluated, he said. P 5

Employers advised to procure vax from hosps

This means that the employee, spouse, their children, parents, in-laws and other dependents allowed by companies in their internal policies can be vaccinated at these centres. Employers have been advised to procure the vaccines from hospitals with whom they may have tied up. Further, at government CVCs, beneficiaries who are 45 years or more can be vaccinated for free through the doses supplied by the Centre or the state governments. Beneficiaries in the 18-44 years bracket can be covered through doses directly procured by the states, the health ministry said.

Allowing employers to vaccinate employees was a key feature of the liberalised programme put in place from May.

In fact, companies and industry chambers were surprised by the ban on vaccinating family members as the Centre and state governments had earlier suggested to them to also reach out to communities around their factories or mines. An industry chamber and its members have identified close to 50 lakh such beneficiaries, who can now hope to get vaccinated.

› Centre not inclined for door-to-door vaccination, P 7