COVID-19: Kerala Includes People Going Abroad For Employment, Studies In Priority List For Vaccination

Even as Kerala continues to face a shortage of vaccines for the above 45 age group, the state has included people going abroad for employment or study purposes in the priority list under the 18-45 category, reported OnManorama. Vaccination for the prioritized group in the 18-45 category began on May 17.

The decision was made as many foreign countries required arrivals to be vaccinated to enter the country said Health Minister Veena George. "However, there was a demand to include more categories in the priority group. Based on the recommendation of a state-level committee, 11 more categories have been added" she added.

As many as 32 categories of people in the age group were added after considering them as frontline workers.

The staff of other government departments such as food and civil supplies, postal, Women and Child Development, teachers evaluating SSLC, Higher Secondary and Vocational Higher Secondary exams were those that were newly added to the priority list as they were considered as frontline workers.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had requested the Centre to supply vaccines for the above 45 groups and wanted the Centre to purchase the vaccines in bulk to reduce the price of the vaccines. Currently, 18.68 per cent of Kerala's population has taken at least one dose of vaccination. The state recorded 29,803 new infections and the TPR has reduced to 20.84%.

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