Fast-track vaccination of shopkeepers, vegetable vendors, says Nagaland government

Unvaccinated healthcare workers asked to produce Covid-19 negative test certificate before reporting for duties

Our Correspondent
Kohima, July 14 (EMN): The department of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday directed medical officers in the districts of Nagaland to fast-track vaccination of shopkeepers and vegetable vendors on a priority basis.

“Shopkeepers and vegetable vendors being vulnerable section of the society and are not only at risk of contracting Covid-19 but are also potential spreaders of the virus due to the nature of their profession. Therefore, priority for Covid-19 vaccination must be given to these particular sections of the community,” said Principal Director of Health and Family Welfare Dr. Neikhrielie Khimiao in a directive.

The chief medical officers and medical superintendents of all districts have also been directed to take necessary steps to ensure fast-track vaccination among this section of the community on priority.

In a separate circular, the principal director asked health workers in both public and private hospitals who have not received Covid-19 vaccine, to produce Covid negative test certificate by getting tested every 15 days as and when they report for duties to ensure the safety of patients, co-workers and community.

In this regard, the chief medical officers and medical superintendents of all districts have been asked to ensure compliance of the order. Further, the district task force should ensure that the private hospitals also follow the same directive, it added.

The principal director issued the two separate directives on Wednesday following the order from the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, on June 30, 2021, passed in public interest litigation (suo moto).

The Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, had earlier directed the government of Nagaland to ramp up the vaccination process.

“We direct the state government and the central government to do all possible at their command to make the required number of doses of vaccination available in time so that vaccination can be carried out with speed and completed at least within three months,” the court order read.

The court asked the state government to give priority to inoculate shopkeepers and vendors at the earliest. It further said that the authorities must ensure health workers produce their testing certificate whenever they report for duties.

Earlier last month, sources from the department informed that almost all doctors and nurses in Nagaland had taken Covid-19 vaccination. The vaccination percentage among Angawandi workers, who fall under the category of health care workers, is only 20%, thus increasing the denominator in HCWs vaccination category.