Govt suggests dist-level panels to vaccinate teachers

NEW DELHI: The Union government on Tuesday asked states and UTS to create a district-level action plan to speed up the vaccination of schoolteachers and ensure that all teaching and non-teaching staff employed across schools receive at least the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine in the month of September, people aware of the development said.

The move comes as most states are partially reopening their schools for physical classes as the second wave of the pandemic continues to ebb and the country’s vaccine drive gathers momentum. During a virtual meeting with education secretaries of states and UTS on Tuesday, Anita Karwal, secretary, school education and literacy, asked them to update the ministry about the vaccination status of teachers twice a week through an online tracker.

“During the meeting, education secretary Anita Karwal discussed the plans of teachers vaccination with the states and UTS. She advised all state/ut education secretaries to work with their health secretaries and design a roadmap at district level for vaccination of all teaching and non-teaching staff engaged across their schools. She has asked the officials to ensure that all teachers should at least receive the first dose of vaccine during the month of September and those who have already received the first dose should be followed up rigorously for the second dose,” a senior ministry official said on condition of anonymity.

The meeting was held in the backdrop of the Union government’s decision to provide at least 20 million additional Covid-19 vaccine doses to states and UTS to vaccinate teaching and non-teaching staff employed in schools (both government and private) on priority.