Punjab: As School Reopens, Data Reveals Less Than 33% Govt Teachers Fully Vaccinated

Even after the Punjab government directed reopening of schools in the state from August 2, new data reveals that less than 33 per cent of government teaching staff in the state are fully vaccinated.

The data compiled by the Punjab education department stated that only 57 per cent of teachers had received a single shot of the Covid vaccine. In addition, a total of 55.92 per cent of the overall staff, including non-teaching, has received their single shot, The Indian Express reported.

Physical classes in Punjab for all standards resumed after a gap of several months on August 2, whereas the schools reopened for classes 10 to 12 from July 26, in the wake of declining Covid cases.

Before the reopening of schools, chief minister Amarinder Singh had issued an order on July 20, stating to allow those teachers and other staff members physically in schools who were fully vaccinated.

More Than 57% Received Single Dose

However, the data accessed by The Indian Express tell a different story. According to it, 65,182 (57.25 per cent) teaching staff out of the total 1.13 lakh in the state's education department have received only a single dose. Of this, 36,831 (32.34 per cent) teachers have got their second shot and are now fully vaccinated. 28,351 teachers have been administered only the first dose and are waiting for their second dose.

As far as non-teaching staff is concerned, 5,598 have got at least one dose, which accounts for 44.03 per cent, out of the total 12,712 employees. While 2,692 have got second shot too, 2,906 employees have received only one dose.

COVID Vaccination In Punjab

Out of the total 1.26 lakh employees (teaching and non-teaching) in the Punjab education department, a total of 70,780 are now vaccinated (partially or fully). About 44 per cent of overall staff and 42 per cent of teaching staff have not been administered even a single shot.

Teachers were not initially considered as frontline workers and were not administered vaccines on a priority basis after the Covid vaccination drive was started in January this year. However, some districts in Punjab like Ludhiana included them in the frontline worker category and started administering vaccines on priority.

Meanwhile, 27 students of five government schools in Ludhiana, Amritsar, Nawanshahr and Abohar tested positive for Covid-19 after reopening schools, The Tribune reported. Among them, more than 20 positive cases were reported from Ludhiana.

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