ARIYALUR: As schools and colleges are set to reopen on September 1, the health department has been focussing on vaccinating teaching and non-teaching staff, as well as their family members. A recent official note by Director of Public Health Dr TS Selvavinayagam said that the Union government has committed to allocating additional 14.57 lakh doses of Covishield and 2.17 lakh doses of Covaxin to the State.
Along with those due for the second dose, these additional doses should be used at special camps meant for teaching and non-teaching staff and their families, the note dated August 25 said. It urged them to take the jab on or before September 5.
On the other hand, despite massive awareness campaigns, a small section of teachers still refuse to take the jab. For instance, a handful of teachers in Ariyalur district are opposed to vaccination. A maths teacher of a government school in the district told Express,
“I have some health issues and do not want to take the vaccine now. I am also reading news reports that many vaccinated people are also affected by Covid. So I do not see the point. I don’t know why the government forces teachers alone to get vaccinated.” Another teacher said, “One of my relatives has been ill for the past five days after receiving the jab. I do not want to go through that. I have not taken my first dose yet. If they insist on it, I have no other way but to take the vaccine.”
M Raman, Chief Education Officer of the district, appealed to teachers to not believe in hearsay. Educational department officials are motivating the teachers to take the vaccine before the end of this month. Any teacher who is unable to get inoculated due to health issues should get a certificate from the Ariyalur GH. According to sources, out of the total 3,719 school staff in Ariyalur district, 3,084 have been vaccinated.
Meanwhile, on Friday, Health Minister Ma Subramanian and School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi inaugurated a special vaccination camp for teachers at a school in Chennai. The health minister said a similar vaccination camp for college staff and students will be conducted on Saturday in the city.
Jab boost
A recent official note by Director of Public Health Dr TS Selvavinayagam said that the Union government
has committed to allocating additional 14.57 lakh doses of Covishield and 2.17 lakh doses of Covaxin to the State