Karnataka: ‘Mandatory vaccination’ for school staff draws ire, officials promise to address concerns

A senior official from the Department of Health and Family Welfare said that the concerns raised by a certain group “will be addressed” soon, and these will be discussed with the Covid-19 technical advisory committee (TAC) as well.

Following criticism and legal appeal from a voluntary group against “mandatory vaccination” for staff members at schools in Karnataka, the state government is likely to consider the matter.

A senior official from the Department of Health and Family Welfare told indianexpress.com that the concerns raised by a certain group “will be addressed” soon, and these will be discussed with the Covid-19 technical advisory committee (TAC) as well.

“Following a legal notice being handed over to the health commissioner recently by a group that mentioned some members were diagnosed with AEFI (adverse event following immunisation), it has been decided to take up the matter for discussion in any of the upcoming TAC meetings,” the official said.

Earlier, the Department of Public Instruction in standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued before reopening high schools and primary schools had mentioned that only teachers and staff who have received both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine will be allowed at educational institutions.

Questioning this, a voluntary group, Awaken India Movement, had written to Health Commissioner D Randeep and Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar pointing out that the government “had mandated vaccination via various circulars”.

The letter mentioned orders dated July 16 and August 26 issued by the then principal secretary to the government, N Manjunath Prasad, and BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta, respectively, making vaccination mandatory for staff (including those in schools) to return to their workplaces.

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