Punjab govt to send unvaccinated employees on compulsory leave after September 15

The CMO Punjab said that this 'strong measure' was announced to protect the people of the state from the disease and to ensure that those who are vaccinated do not have to pay the price for continued vaccine hesitancy of those who are not.

New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday (September 10, 2021) announced that the state government employees who fail to take even the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine for any reason other than medical will be compulsorily sent on leave after September 15. The CMO Punjab said that this 'strong measure' was announced to protect the people of the state from the disease and to ensure that those who are vaccinated do not have to pay the price for continued vaccine hesitancy of those who are not. "At the high-level virtual COVID-19 review meeting held today, the Chief Minister said vaccine effectiveness is evident from the data being analysed. Special efforts were taken to reach out to Government employees, and those who continue to avoid getting vaccinated will now be asked to go on leave till they get the first dose," the CMO Punjab said. During the meeting, CM Amarinder also allowed teaching and non-teaching school staff who had taken at least one dose of vaccine more than four weeks ago to resume duties, subject to submission of weekly RT-PCR negative test reports. However, all those with co-morbidities shall only be allowed once they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.