THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: While the state government claims that 50.04 percent of the people above 18 years of age in the state have been given the first dose of vaccination, the coverage among migrant workers is dismally low, raising major concern as the third wave of Covid is around the corner.
According to the health department stats, as on Sunday, 1,66,89,600 people (first dose for 1,20,10,450 and second dose for 46,79,150 people) were given vaccines.
However, the stats available with the labour department reveal that only 14,890 migrant labourers (first dose for 14,100 and second dose for 790 migrants) were administered the vaccines.
Of the total vaccinated migrants in the state, Ernakulam accounts for the lion’s share with 7,200 workers from other states (first dose for 7,166 and second dose for 34). No proper data on the floating migrant population is available with the state agencies.
However, the NGOs which work for the welfare of the migrants estimate that around 25 lakh of them are employed in the informal sectors in the state of whom around 10 lakh belong to the footloose category.
Though a good number of migrants had left for their home states following the first lockdown, the majority of them have returned to the state since then.
If the population data is true, less than one percent of the migrant population is vaccinated.
Migrants, especially the footloose labourers, are the most vulnerable section in the state.
For the people who work in the industrial ventures, the employer will take the initiative to get them vaccinated as it is mandatory for them before employing such workers.
Benoy Peter, executive director, Centre for Migration and Inclusive Development, said there should be a special strategy to speed up the pace of vaccination among the migrants.
“Vaccination camps should be held on Sundays to speed up the vaccination rate among the migrants as the majority of them work on all other days in a week. A special campaign has to be held for sensitising them about the need to take vaccination. Finally, there should be sufficient stock of vaccines,” he said.
A senior officer with the labour department said, “The pace of vaccination is very slow among migrants in the state, the main reason being the shortage of vaccines, which poses a serious challenge to the department,” he said.