Govt withdraws order to consider airport staff as frontline workers

Bengaluru: The state health department informed that the Karnataka government on Sunday withdrew a circular issued to consider airport staff as frontline workers for COVID-19 vaccination.

In an earlier circular dated January 22, the state government said that staff members of all airports will be considered as the frontline workers and will thus be eligible for the vaccination. It was directed to the authorities at Kempegowda International Airport KIAL, Mangaluru International Airport, and also at Belagavi, Hubbali -Dharwad, Kalaburagi, Mysuru, and Bidar.

In a new notification issued by the Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare Services, the state government said that only the staff of the airport covered as healthcare or frontline workers, as defined by the Government of India, will be included in the list of COVID vaccination.

The Serum Institute of India’s (SII) vaccine COVISHIELD was administered to 1,36,882 people while Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN was administered to 1,774 people in the state till January 22.