Keeping in mind the need to ramp up COVID-19 vaccination in India for people aged 45 and above, the Centre will soon allow inoculation at workplaces, both private and public, which have around 100 or more people willing to take the jab. These workplace vaccination centres will be launched across India from 11 April.
According to a letter written by Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, this will be done by tagging these workplaces with an existing COVID vaccination centre.
States and Union Territories have been asked to begin consultations with private and public sector employers and managements in order to prepare for this phase of expansion of inoculation.
Only employees aged 45 years or more will be eligible for vaccination at the workplace, no outsiders including eligible family members will be allowed to get vaccinated at “CVC at Work Place.”
Beneficiaries must be registered on the Co-WIN portal prior to vaccination. The CVC Nodal Officer will ensure registration of all targeted beneficiaries and facility of on-the spot registration will also be available but only to employees of the workplace.
Only One Type of Vaccine to Be Provided
One type of vaccine will be provided at such sessions that are conducted at the workplaces. This is necessary to avoid mixing of vaccine types in first and second dose of a beneficiary.
Those who have already received one dose of a vaccine different from the one being administered at the workplace CVC shall not be vaccinated there.
They are expected to get the second dose of the same vaccine at an appropriate COVID vaccination centre. However, those who have received same vaccine as the first dose may be provided the second dose at the workplace CVC.
India began phase 3 of the COVID-19 vaccination drive on Thursday, 1 April, amid a severe second wave of COVID-19 cases. The third phase is meant for people above the age of 45.
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