Unvaccinated Delhi govt employees won’t be allowed to attend office from Oct 16

Heads of departments have been entrusted with monitoring the process and verifying each employee’s claim regarding vaccination

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Friday issued an order making it mandatory for all Delhi government employees to get at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine by October 15. The employees will not be allowed to attend offices and their absence from duty will be counted as leave if they do not comply, said the order, a copy of which HT has seen.

India has so far vaccinated over 92 crore eligible beneficiaries against Covid-19. (REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas)

“All government employees working in departments, autonomous bodies, PSUs (Public Sector Undertakings), local bodies, and educational institutions under the government of NCT (National Capital Territory) of Delhi, including front line workers, health workers, as well as teachers and other staff, working in schools and colleges, should get vaccinated (at least first dose) by 15.10.2021 as per prevailing guidelines and protocols prescribed for vaccination by the Union government,” said the order.

“The aforementioned government employees, health workers, front line workers, teachers, and other staff in schools and colleges, who do not get vaccinated (at least first dose) by 15.10.2021 shall not be allowed to attend their respective offices, healthcare institutions, and educational institutions with effect from 16.10.2021 till they have obtained the first dose vaccination. The said period of absence from duty shall be treated as ‘on leave’ till the administration of the first dose of vaccination.”

A government official said a recent survey showed that more than 90% of the government employees have taken one dose of the vaccine.