Karnataka to resume the vaccination drive for the age group 18-44 starting from May 22

Photo Credits: Reuters

Karnataka will commence the vaccination drive for the age group from 18-44 years scheduled from May 22, however the drive in the initial phases will be exclusively for priority groups within the specified age group, according to the statement given by the Health Department. The Karnataka Health Department in a tweet made the announcement, “Vaccination for 18-44 years age group is being resumed from 22.5.2021 and state procured vaccines will be utilised to vaccinate the eligible beneficiaries. State has identified corona front line warriors who will be receiving vaccination initially.”

The priority groups will be inoculated after the drive for frontline workers is completed. The State Health Department added, “Number of such vaccination sites and number of vaccinations per day will be decided by districts based on availability of vaccines.”

The people who will be eligible for priority vaccination in the age group from 18-44 considered as ‘frontline workers’ are – Family members of the healthcare professionals, teachers who are allotted Covid-19 duty, Auto and can drivers, Public transport personnel, Street vendors, Judicial officers, Media persons, Security and office keeping staff, electricity and water suppliers and post departmental staff among others.

The other priority group after the frontline workers comprises of – construction workers, telecom and internet service workers, airline service workers, bank officials, garment factory workers, forest department official, NHAI officials, petrol pump workers, advocates, hotel workers, KMF workers, railway workers, GAIL workers, RHK officials, state and national level sportspersons, HAL officials.

The Deputy Commissioners working at the district level along with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) chief commissioner will be taking the responsibility of the vaccination drive via the mode of workplace vaccination, added the Department. The nodal officers for vaccination with Covishield will be District Collector and Chief Commissioner of the BBMP.

The aforesaid officials will take the final call over the list of priority groups according to their jurisdiction and a nodal officer will be deployed foreach group to expedite the vaccination drive. An eligibility certificate will be given by the nodal officers stating the category under which to be vaccinated, which will be mandatory with the ID proof. The nodal officers will also give the date of vaccination following the government notification.

On May 14, Karnataka had put a hold on the vaccination drive for 18-44 age group with the shortage of doses and prioritized completing the second dose for 45 years and above. A statement by the Health Department announced, “
All vaccines available with the state government (i.e. supplied by Government of India and procured directly by state) will be utilized for vaccination of beneficiaries due for 2nd dose. In this regard vaccination for 18 to 44 age group (including those who have already booked appointments) will be temporarily suspended from 14.05.2021 till further orders. This order will be applicable for COVID vaccination at all Government COVID vaccination centres in the state.”

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