BENGALURU: Among the 7,95,500 frontline healthcare workers, who will receive the ‘Covishield’ vaccine in Karnataka in the first round, the names of 370 Tibetans living in the five settlements in the State, may also figure in the list. India will kick-start the national vaccination drive from January 16.
Chophel Thupten, the Chief Representative, South Zone, Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), told TNIE that they had sent the names of these healthcare workers to the taluk health officers. “We had sent the names of 370 frontline Covid workers, which include those who have been working in the Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in their taluks, and of some community leaders, who were also involved in Covid duties,” he said.
Karnataka may have the highest number of Tibetan frontline healthcare workers in the country to receive the much-awaited vaccine. Tibetans living in exile are spread in five settlements in the state — two in Bylakuppe, one in Hunsur, both in Mysuru district, one in Mundgod in Uttara Kannada district and one in Kollegal and Chamarajanagar district.