IT firms, offices in Karnataka to have vaccination from April 11: K Sudhakar

For all the employees above 45 years of age will now have the facility of availing the Covid-19 vaccine at their workplaces starting from April 11 across the public and private sectors in Karnataka for further building the immunity against the virus, said state Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar.

While addressing the reporters, Sudhakar stated, “Vaccine can be administered to beneficiaries above 45 years of age at all government and private workplaces across the state from April 11 to ramp up the drive and ensure more people develop immunity.”

The move was finalized amid a virtual review meeting headed by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and Sudhakar, where deputy commissioners representing Bidar, Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga, Hassan, Dakshina Kannada, Mandya, Mysuru, Kalaburagi, Tumakur and Udipi districts based in the southern state.

The Union Health Ministry has approved the states to allow vaccination to be held at the workplaces in both the private and public sectors provided a minimum of 100 employees will be ready to take the jab for immunization.

A medical doctor by profession, Sudhakar said, “As several IT firms urged us to allow vaccination in their premises, they can administer the dose to those ready for it.”

As per the state health bulletin, as many as 88,499 people have been vaccinated throughout the state amid the day. From the total count, 37,189 are senior citizens and 46,333 in the 45-49 age group.

The bulletin said, “Cumulatively, 48,32,382 people received the dose since the vaccination drive was launched on January 16 across the southern state.”

Around 6,976 new cases have been recorded in a day on Tuesday, raising the total Covid-19 count to 10,33,560 comprising of 49,254 fresh cases. Being the centre of the infections, Bengaluru recorded 4,991 fresh cases, raising the total load to 4,60,016, inclusive of 35,789. The case fatality rate was 0.50 per cent throughout the state on Tuesday.

Sudhakar added, “Though we have ramped up infrastructure over a year to treat Covid patients, we need to ensure more patients end up needing ICUs and ventilator, especially in Bengaluru where facilities are overwhelmed with more active cases and 5.56 per cent fatality rate.”