Indian Companies to buy vaccines for employees

Indian companies to buy vaccines for employees

Inoculation drive had been launched in India on 16 January 2021. The vaccination drive will be the greatest in the world aiming to give vaccine shots to about 30 crore people in about six to eight months. Several Indian companies have planned to offer COVID 19 vaccine to its employees by organising the drive for its employees on their cost. The inoculation began with healthcare and frontline workers where the country is using Oxford University's Covishield developed by Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin.

Steel Producer Jindal Steel and Power Ltd, autos to technology conglomerate Mahindra Ltd and consumer goods giant ITC Ltd have started to look for procurement of vaccines and check their availability after coverage of priority sections as defined by the government. "ITC is making efforts to roll out vaccines for employees... We are in constant talks with vaccine manufacturers and may offer the service soon," Amitav Mukherjee, head of corporate human resources announced. Companies are leaving no stone unturned to extend vaccination to its employees.

Tata Steel claimed to give shots as soon as they'll be available commercially. Currently the covid situation is under control but striving in a critical state from which it can surge at any point of negligence or instability. Keeping in mind the priority chart, the government can't risk the health of citizens by commercially selling vaccines at such an early hour. Factories in our country have witnessed a stern lockdown leading to economic downfall, recession and migration of workers back to villages.

Pankaj Lochan, chief human resource officer, JSPL, said, "We are in talks to fetch surplus supplies of vaccines after completion of frontline workers." The companies haven't declared the number of doses to buy. India being the world's second most populous country, is just behind the United States of America in the number of Covid infections. Billionaire Anand Mahindra heading Mahindra Group also highlighted his interest in buying vaccines. Unilever, global consumers good giant encouraged employees to get vaccinated and also outpour the shots in poorer countries.

With vulnerability being an important factor to determine the segment of population to receive a vaccine, several companies are holding silence on seeking early vaccine supplies.