Mumbai: 2,800 IIT-B students, staff get shots in campus Covid vax drive

Around 2,800 students, faculty and staff members have been inoculated in the Covid-19 vaccine camp held at the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B)

Around 2,800 students, faculty and staff members have been inoculated in the Covid-19 vaccine camp held at the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B).

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Following demand from the student community, IIT-B kicked off a three-day vaccination drive on Monday. “We are expecting another 1,400 people to be vaccinated on the third day,” said Tapanendu Kundu, dean, student affairs and chief organiser of the vaccination drive, which is being held in partnership with private hospitals.

“Beneficiaries of the vaccine drive have to pay the government charges of ₹780. For students, the same is adjusted from the hostel fees paid by them,” Kundu added. The student community had been demanding free vaccines for all students on campus. There are around 3,000 students on campus currently. Last week the institute had informed students that a workplace vaccination drive would be held and students would have to pay ₹1,000 plus taxes.

The institute had also sought help from its alumni network to fund the vaccination drive. While students are allowed to get their vaccine shots from any government centres outside the campus, they have to complete a 14-day quarantine upon their return to campus. This rule discouraged students from seeking vaccine appointments off-campus.

While the institute’s hospital on campus is registered as a government vaccination centre for Covid-19 vaccines, it had initially not been able to procure vaccine doses. Now, the hospital vaccinates only those above 45 years of age.