Karnataka government to launch Covid vaccination drive for students going to foreign countries

Bengaluru: On Monday, the Karnataka government revised its priority list for Covid vaccination and included four more categories which included students going to foreign countries for their studies from June 1.

Deputy chief minister and state Covid ministerial task force chief CN Ashwath Narayana said that the revised list also consists of people who are going abroad for employment, workers of milk co-operative societies, and cable operators.

Narayana said that the vaccination process for students going to study abroad and those who need to travel outside the country for work will start at 3 pm on Tuesday at the Administrative block of Bengaluru City University.

Narayana added that there was demand from this group to administer vaccines to them by including them in the priority list. He said, “Those who wish to get inoculated should possess visas, admission receipts, or any such relevant documents with them. Certificates confirming the completion of the certificate will be also issued on the spot.”

Those in these categories who have received the first dose of Covishield can get the second dose of the same as the dose gap has been relaxed for them. Thus, they can get the second dose even before completing six weeks.

Narayana said that the chief commissioner of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and all the district commissioners have been directed to issue the necessary eligibility certificates to students going to foreign countries and those who require to travel to get employment in other countries based on the verification of documents.