New Delhi: The Government of India on June 7 issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) for COVID-19 vaccination of persons who are looking to undertake international travel for educational purposes, employment opportunities, or as a part of India’s contingent for the Tokyo Olympic Games.
As per the Centre’s SOPs, such international travellers will have to link their CoWIN certificates to their passports. Further, mentioning the vaccine type as “Covishield” will be sufficient for them.
No other qualifying entries will be required in their COVID-19 vaccination certificates, the Centre said. The Health Ministry has also written to all states/UTs to facilitate the vaccination of people who have taken the first dose of Covishield and need to travel abroad for education, employment, or Tokyo Olympics, but whose planned travel dates fall before the completion of 84 days.
The SOPs were released on a day the Punjab government announced that students required to travel to countries where universities mandate full vaccination will be prioritised. Students who want to go abroad for studies from Punjab will now be prioritised in the COVID vaccination process in the 18-44 group, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said.
The Mumbai civic body and the Kerala Health Department too had announced earlier that those travelling abroad for education or jobs will be given priority in COVID-19 vaccination.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had announced that those planning to go abroad for studies would be prioritised in the 18-44 years age group. They were allowed to get themselves vaccinated without pre-registration at specific centres across the city, three days a week.
The Kerala Health Department too had said those required to travel abroad for studies/jobs would be allowed to take the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine after four to six weeks of the first jab instead of waiting for 12-16 weeks.
Comments are closed.