Schools opening tomorrow, teachers rush to get vaccinated in Punjab's Ahmedgarh

Mahesh Sharma

Mandi Ahmedgarh/Raikot, July 24

With a majority of schools shut during the pandemic reopening on Monday, vaccination camps are experiencing a rush of teachers and staff of government and private schools of the region.

The teachers, who could not receive even the first dose of the vaccine, are coordinating with their relatives and friends at nearby localities to explore chances of getting a jab before Monday.

Organisers of regular vaccination camps are finding it difficult to manage the rush due to varied reasons, including scarcity of vaccine and preoccupation of staff in other healthcare jobs.

Inquiries revealed that teachers of government and private-aided schools had been queuing up at healthcare centers and other designated places since the government had declared to open schools for students of senior classes.

Schools authorities have also been advised to ensure that teachers and members of the staff should have taken at least the first shot.

Acknowledging the tendency, Rajinder Kumar Sharma, chief coordinator at the vaccination camp at Ahmedgarh Civil Hospital, said the number of residents coming for vaccination had increased manifolds after the government announced to reopen schools last week. “Though there has been a rush at almost all vaccination centers of the region in the past too, teachers and employees of schools are outnumbering any single category these days,” said Sharma.

Viney Kumar Goyal and Rajesh Gupta, heads of different schools in the area, said they had advised the administrative staff to ensure that only those teachers are allowed to perform teaching duties whose vaccination certificate has been deposited in the office. The teachers who have received both doses have been advised to upload their certificates on the Education Department portal.