India allows family members of employees to be vaccinated

Amid its health crisis, the Indian government is now allowing private and state entities to vaccinate its employees and their dependent family members. 

Some companies, both in the public and private sector, have already begun lining up its vaccination programme for their staff and family members, reports Times of India. 

Under the new announcement, the government will allow family members and dependents, as defined by the employer, to be covered under the programme at industrial and workplace Covid Vaccination Centres (CVCs). 

This means that the worker, their spouse, children, parents, in-laws and other dependents as allowed by their companies’ internal policies can receive their vaccinations in these centres. 

Employers have also been advised to source the vaccines from the respective hospitals they have ties with. 

At the CVCs, recipients who are 45 years and older can be vaccinated for free, while those aged 18 to 44 years can be covered through doses acquired directly by the state governments, according to the health ministry. 

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As of Monday, India reported that it has passed over 300,000 deaths due to the coronavirus pandemic. In recent weeks, the nation has been hitting record single-day spikes in infections and fatalities.