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Assam govt employees who got both Covid-19 vaccine doses, told to return to work
On Sunday, Assam recorded 2,167 new infections and 36 deaths-a big drop from nearly 6,000 cases and 80-90 daily deaths on an average a month ago.
The Assam government last week asked its employees who have received both the doses of Covid-19 vaccine to physically attend office from Monday as the test positivity rate has declined in the state following month-long, curfew-like restrictions.
“...All employees of the government of Assam who have received both the doses of Covid-19 vaccine are hereby directed to attend office from June 14 regularly by following all Covid-related protocols,” said the order issued last week by MS Manivannan, commissioner and secretary to the general administration department.
Offices and educational institutions, except emergency services, were shut down across Assam since May 13 due to an alarming surge in infections and deaths during the second wave of Covid-19.
On Sunday, Assam recorded 2,167 new infections and 36 deaths-a big drop from nearly 6,000 cases and 80-90 daily deaths on an average a month ago. The positivity rate, which was around 8% in mid-May, stood at 2.16% on Sunday. The present set of restrictions, which include curfew from 1 pm till 5 am daily, as well as ban on inter-district movement, will end on Wednesday and the state government is expected to issue new Covid-19 guidelines within a day or two.
However, health experts argued that the government should have allowed for a two-week cooling period after taking the second dose before calling employees to offices.
"Getting a second dose of Covid-19 vaccine doesn't give protection from possible infection..., though the severity of the infection is considerably less. The second dose doesn't give immediate results and the recipients need to wait for two weeks for the vaccine to work properly. It would have been prudent if the government order clarified that only those employees who have got the second dose at least two weeks ago need to return to work," said Dr Hemanga Baishya, office bearer of the Assam chapter of Indian Medical Association (IMA).
The government employees’ union in the state says it has no objection to resumption of physical attendance in offices.
“Since the decision to allow all employees who have taken both doses of vaccine to join office was taken by the health department after due consideration, we have nothing much to say on the issue,” said Basab Kalita, adviser of Sadou Assam Karmachari Parishad, the umbrella organization of government employees in the state.
He, however, warned that the attendance could be low since the ban on inter-district movement was still in place and many employees were yet to get their second doses.
“We, however, appeal to all employees to take adequate safety measures at offices. The government should provide sanitisers and other things needed to maintain Covid-19 protocols,” Kalita said.
