Odisha Includes These Categories As FLWs, In Principle, For COVID Vaccination

Bhubaneswar: The State Steering Committee, which met under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, Odisha, on May 6, has in principle approved the inclusion of several categories of staff as frontline workers (FLW) for COVID-19 vaccination.

These categories include forest officials, forest guards, banking staff, insurance companies, oxygen plant employees etc.

Additional Chief Secretary PK Mohapatra on Thursday wrote to all collectors, DMs, commissioners of municipal corporations apprising them of the steering committee’s decision.

Following categories approved in principle for inclusion as FLWs for COVID vaccination:

* Forest Officials, Forest guards

* Banking Staff/insurance Companies/ NCPI, Payment system providers/Operators/vendors/cash logistic companies/cash-in-transit companies/ ATM maintenance personnel, Banking Correspondence & Costumer care Points

* Railway staff, Staff of DCPU, Staff of Childline (1098), Staff of 181 Helpline, Staff of One-Stop Centres and all caregivers staff of childcare institutions

* Oxygen Plant employees

* Filling station employees & Call centre employees

* Government Veterinary doctors, Livestock Inspectors and Para-veterinarians.

The Additional Chief Secretary pointed out that the above-mentioned categories of staff will only be vaccinated once adequate supply is available as the state’s current priority is to ensure second dose vaccination of beneficiaries who are due.