Most migrant workers won’t benefit from vaccination drive

Most workers, employed in industrial units, are aged 20-40

The Tamil Nadu government’s directive to industries to vaccinate all workers aged 45 and above will not cover a majority of them here as most of the migrant workers are aged 20-40. K. Selvaraju, secretary-general, Southern India Mills’ Association, says that of the 50 lakh workers employed in textile units across the State, just about 10% will be eligible for vaccination. A majority of the workers are from other States or women from different districts. They are all aged below 45. But textile units having in-house dispensary or healthcare centres are trying to vaccinate all their workers, he says. The number of permanent workers in textile mills is very less, and a majority of the migrant workers are aged below 45. All of them should be covered because they are the high-risk group, says AITUC leader M. Arumugam.