Karnataka govt orders Covid-19 vaccination of school staff on a priority basis

A day after the experts' panel resolving to recommend the state government on the phased reopening of schools across Karnataka, the National Health Mission (NHM) on Thursday directed all the DCs to vaccinate the entire aided and unaided school teaching and non-teaching staff.

In its communication to all the district administration, NHM Director Dr Arundhati Chandrashekar has directed the officials to compile an authorised list of names of all the aided and unaided schools' teaching and non-teaching staff. "Principal or any other member shall be appointed as a nodal officer for coordination with the health officials for vaccination," the note said. Besides, the officials must inform the beneficiaries about the vaccination date and time, keeping in mind the vaccine stocks at their level.

All the eligible candidates must then participate in the 'model vaccination drive', in their school/college campus as per the availability. This is a part of 'workplace vaccination site SOP'. School headmaster/headmistress or principal must ensure that 100 per cent of their staff have participated in the initiative.

Health Minister Dr K Sudhkar said, "If not today, we have to reopen the schools someday. Children cannot sit in online classes all the time as it will have a negative impact on the minds of the kids. Hence, we have decided to vaccinate employees of all the schools on a priority basis."

Dr Sudhakar also revealed that the government is in constant touch with the experts, academicians and are obtaining suggestions before deciding on reopening of schools.