Vaccination Eligibility Extended to Foreign Nationals Residing in India
NEW DELHI, Aug 9: The foreign nationals residing in India will now be eligible to receive Covid-19 vaccination in India, the government announced on Monday.
Like other eligible beneficiaries, foreign nationals can also register on CoWin platform to get the shot, and their passport will be considered as the document to verify their identity.
“In a landmark initiative to ensure safety from Covid-19, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has taken a decision to allow foreign nationals residing in India to get registered on CoWin portal to take the Covid-19 vaccine. They can use their passport as identity document for the purpose of registration on CoWin portal. Once they are registered on this portal, they will get a slot for vaccination,” Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced on Twitter.
The health ministry said it was important to vaccinate the large number of foreign population that resides in India, especially in large metropolitan areas. In these areas, the potential of spread of Covid-19 was high due to higher population density. To counter any possibility of such occurrence, it was important to vaccinate all eligible persons.
This initiative will ensure the safety of foreign nationals residing in India, the ministry said. “It will also bring down the possibilities of further transfer of infection from unvaccinated persons residing in India. It will also ensure overall safety from further transmission of COVID-19 virus,” the ministry said in a statement.
The centre is currently running national vaccination programme to vaccinate all above the age of 18. As on 9th August, 2021, India has administered more than 51 crore vaccine doses across the country.
Office of Union health minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, also tweeted regarding the development.
“Together We Fight, Together We Win Clapping hands sign Govt has now allowed foreign nationals residing in India to register on CoWin portal and take # Covid-19 vaccine. This will ensure overall safety from the transmission of the virus,” read the tweet.
“As has been said no one is safe until everyone is safe, so the government is also ensuring that everyone in the country is able to receive the Covid-19 vaccine shot. This is an attempt in that direction,” said a senior central government official.
India started the Covid-19 vaccination drive on January 16, 2021; in the first phase, all health care workers were eligible to take the shot that was later extended to frontline workers on February 2. Gradually, the facility was extended to citizens above 60 and those above 45 years who suffered from 20-specified co-morbidities.
On April 19, the central government announced that it will open up Covid-19 vaccination for everyone 18 years and above from May 1 as part of a liberalised and accelerated phase 3 strategy of Covid-19 vaccination in the country. The decision was taken in a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
(Manas Dasgupta)
