Covid vaccine registrations for health workers now available only at government centres

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan informed on Monday that on-site vaccine registration for health care workers and frontline workers will now only be available at government vaccination centres and the beneficiaries will need to produce original photo identity cards and employment certificates to receive the vaccine dose.

The decision comes after the Centre uncovered instances where ineligible beneficiaries were getting vaccinated in the name of healthcare workers and frontline workers at some vaccination centres.

vaccination of ineligible beneficiaries detected at some centres

"Letter even number, dated 3rd April 2021, vide which, in view of vaccination of ineligible beneficiaries in the name of HCWs/FLWs at some CVCs, in complete violation of the prescribed guidelines, the decision of the NEGVAC that, no fresh registration in the categories of HCWs and FLWs will be allowed, has been communicated.

In continuation of the said guidance, following additional directions are issued for vaccination of HCWS/FLWs, aged from 18 years to 44 years: On-site registration facility for genuinely left-over HCWS/FLWs will henceforth be available only in the Government CVCs," Bhushan said in the letter.

For on-site registration, health care workers will have to submit the original photo-ID card being used for vaccination and a copy of the employment certificate, Bhushan said. He also highlighted that the employer will be responsible for providing employment certificate only eligible HCW/FLWs.

"The employer will be responsible to ensure that the employment certificate is issued to only eligible HCW/FLWs.The employer and the concerned HCWIFLW will be personally responsible for the correctness of information in the employment certificate. It will be mandatory for the verifier to capture the employment certificate in the CO-WIN system prior to registration of the HCW/FLW. The verifier/site manager will be responsible for capturing the employment certificate along with necessary details on CO-WIN," he added.

(With inputs from agency)