Sho(r)t of help? Denizens step up to assist house helps to get the jab

Delhi-NCR residents have been doing their bit to ensure that their domestic staff get vaccinated, well in time. Some are extending help to book a slot whereas a few others are driving them down to the vaccination centre.

From convincing their house helps to get Covid-19 vaccine, to booking a slot for them on the mobile app, and even driving them down to the vaccination centre — residents of Delhi-NCR are doing it all to aid their house helps and staff fight Covid-19 with the help of Covid shots.

From monetary assistance to booking slots, residents of Delhi-NCR are doing it all to ensure that their domestic helps get vaccinated.

Ritesh Gandotra, an MNC professional residing in Vasant Kunj, says his driver’s younger child was born during the lockdown last year, and it was imperative to ensure that his driver’s entire family is safe especially after the second wave of Covid-19. “We got him and his wife vaccinated even before us as he is usually more exposed to the outside world. This was no charity as he is our man! Unfortunately, our house help moved to her village with family without waiting for vaccination. Trying to see if she can get it there. And our cook is completely against getting vaccination. No amount of convincing has been able to make her change her mind so far, but we’re trying our best,” he says.

Many house helps aren’t educated, and don’t realise the significance of getting vaccinated for Covid. Hence these have to be counselled by their employers.

A Delhi-based home chef, Ragini Saxena recently got her house help vaccinated, and opines that the means to book a slot has many hurdles, and therefore one must step up to help their staff. She says, “It’s something that everyone of us should take of. An initiative is needed for at least our house helps, as they are not so well educated to understand the necessity to get vaccinated, and alongside also don’t have the required resources to book themselves for a vaccine slot online. If each one of us helps at least two such domestic helps around us, the burden to vaccinate everyone will lessen from the government’s shoulders, and we’ll all be much safer in the near future.”

Some are providing monetary assistance to their domestic helps, to resolve their financial crunch that’s making many opt out of the run to get vaccinated. Take for instance, Anuja Rastogi, who works in the retail industry, and says, “The first jab for one of our houses helps and our driver was done in our condominium, for which we paid ₹250. And for the second dose, I willingly registered them, and even helped in finding an appointment that took some time. This required me to drive all the way to Chhattarpur, from Gurugram, and waiting there for three hours to get it done. For my other house help, I registered on the mobile app and paid ₹1,100 to get her the first dose, and I will support her for the second dosage as well. This is the need of the hour, and no questions asked! For all of us to be safe, our house helps must stay safe first, especially since they continue to risk so much for us. This is one way to pay it forward.”

Gurugrammer Shilpi Singh, a leadership coach, adds that it’s also one’s “responsibility” to do so. “Every person needs to be vaccinated. Hence, it’s our responsibility to ensure that not just our family members, but also those employed with us as our domestic staff are vaccinated well in time. Some of them may not find the process easy, therefore we need to extend help to them and if needed shouldn’t shy away from bearing the cost for the same.”

Author tweets @Nainaarora8

Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter