New Delhi: The central government has asked all states to permit COVID vaccines to be administered at offices with about 100 workers who are 45 years of age or older and are willing to take the jab.

The vaccination can start on April 11 at both government and private workplaces, the central government declared on Wednesday. However, family members of office workers won’t be eligible for the same.

Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary in a letter to states, said, “In order to increase the access of vaccine to these populations, covid-19 vaccination sessions may be organized at workplaces, which are having about 100 eligible and willing (to facilitate optimal utilization of vaccine dosage and reduce wastage) beneficiaries by tagging these workplaces with all existing covid vaccination centres."

WHO WILL BE ELIGIBLE

The COVID-19 vaccination sessions can be held at offices that have about 100 eligible and willing beneficiaries, the health ministry stated in a letter to all states and Union territories and informed that inoculation can be conducted by tagging these workplaces with an existing Covid Vaccination Center (CVC).

WHAT IS THE PROCESS

The District Task Force (DTF) chaired by the district magistrate and Urban Task Force (UTF) les by the municipal commissioner will identify government and private offices where COVID-19 inoculationn sessions can be conducted.

Workplace management will assign one of their senior staff to work as a nodal officer to coordinate with district health authorities and Private Covid Vaccination Centres (CVC).

The nodal officer will check and facilitate all factors of vaccination at offices such as registration of beneficiaries and availability of physical and technology logistics.

COST OF THE VACCINE

The COVID-19 inoculation at government offices held by district health authorities will be free while that by private CVC would be on a payment standards and will be at the same rate as of vaccination at a private health facility centre.

They are allowed to take service charge subject to a ceiling of ₹100 /- per person per dose and a vaccine cost of ₹150/- per person per dose. “Hence, the financial ceiling of the total amount recoverable by private health facility is INR 250/- per person per dose”, the health ministry said.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra on Wednesday reported the highest daily count of 59,907 COVID-19 new cases, taking the total of cases to 31,73,261. Maharashtra also reported 322 fatalities pushing the total to 56,652.