Teachers working at border want jab on priority

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, May 10

The school teachers who are serving at state borders for registration of people coming inside the state and verification of Covid e-passes are feeling helpless. They are alleging that despite serving at state borders and facing risk of infection, the government has not provided them Corona vaccine which was putting their life at risk.

Besides the teachers, revenue and police officials, have also demanded that they should be provided Corona vaccine on priority basis for risking their life at state borders.

On the condition of anonymity, a teacher posted at Mehatpur barrier in Una district said that at a time, five teachers were serving there. “Teachers are serving at the barrier round the clock and are at a risk as many people from Delhi and the NCR area were coming back. We have to get in close contact with these people for verification or registration of Covid e-passes. We fear for our life. The government should consider us as Corona warriors and at least vaccinate us on priority basis,” he said.

Another teacher said that most of them, who are working on state borders at barriers, are covered under the new pension scheme. There was no security cover for their families in case any unfortunate incident. The government should provide some kind of insurance scheme for all such employees serving at the state borders. District president of DPE teacher’s union, Jagjit Singh said that all the employees serving at the state borders should be considered as Corona warriors and vaccine should be provided them on priority.

He said besides the state borders the school teachers have also been posted in call centres set up in government hospitals. At these places also they were at risk of getting Corona infection. So the government should consider all these teachers as corona warriors and provide them vaccine on priority basis.

Sources in the Health Department said the teachers serving at state borders had not been provided Corona vaccine as most of them are under 45. They are likely to get vaccine only when the state government starts providing vaccine to 18 and above age group.