Jab for shopkeepers, vendors in Punjab from June 1

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 27

The vaccination priority list for 18-45 age group in the state will be expanded from June 1 to include shopkeepers and their staff, hospitality sector, industrial workers, rehriwalas/street vendors, delivery boys, bus/cab drivers/conductors and members of local bodies.

Announcing this today, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh said so far, 4.3 lakh individuals on the existing vaccination priority list of construction labour, co-morbid individuals and families of healthcare workers in the age group had been vaccinated. Chairing a virtual Covid review meeting, Capt Amarinder expressed happiness over the fact that many donors had contributed to the vaccination fund in the state.

Besides shopkeepers and their staff members, as well as industrial workers, the expanded priority list, effective from June 1, will include staff working in hotels, restaurants, marriage palaces, caterers, including cooks, bearers, etc.

In addition to rehriwalas, other street vendors will also become eligible, especially those serving food items — juice, chat, fruit etc. — as well as delivery boys, LPG distribution boys. Bus drivers, conductors, auto/cab drivers, mayors, councillors, sarpanches and panches will also be covered in this phase of 18-45 age group vaccination.

In terms of the existing vaccine stocks, the state had a balance of 36,000 Covishield and 50,000 Covaxin doses (received from the Government of India) for the 45+ age group. These were sufficient only for a day, the meeting was informed.

In the 18-45 age group, the state had received 4,29,780 of the 30 lakh Covishield doses ordered while no Covaxin dose had been received so far though advance payment had been made for 1,14,190 doses.

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