Kerala: 1,495 teachers yet to get vaccinated for Covid-19; Weekly RT-PCR test mandatory

NEW DELHI: Kerala education minister V Sivankutty on Saturday revealed that a total of 1,707 teachers and non-teaching staff have not taken Covid-19 vaccine. Of the total, 1,495 are teachers and 212 are non-teaching staff.

"In the lower primary, upper primary and high school section, there are 1,066 teachers and 189 non-teaching staff, while in the higher secondary section, there are 200 teachers and 23 non-teaching staff who are yet to take the jab," the minister said, as per the PTI report. There are 229 teachers in the vocational higher secondary section who have not taken the vaccine, he added.

He said those school staff who have not been vaccinated need to produce an RT-PCR result every week.

"Those who have not taken the vaccine due to allergy and other associated issues need to produce the doctor's certificate," the minister said. Schools in the state were reopened on November 1 after being closed for more than a one-and-a-half years due to the pandemic.

The count of unvaccinated teachers and non-teachers in Kerala has been released. 1707 in total (1495 teachers + 212 non teaching staff). Weekly RTPCR test is mandatory for such persons. Those unvaccinated due to illnesses/allergies must produce a doctor's certificate. pic.twitter.com/IQSwN0pM19

— V. Sivankutty (@VSivankuttyCPIM) December 4, 2021

On December 1, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said anyone not following COVID-19 prevention measures, like vaccination, will not be provided free treatment.

If they do not get vaccinated, they will have to get a negative RT-PCR test every week at their own cost, he had said. These directions were being issued to ensure safety of the students going back to school and colleges, he added.

The Kerala government had earlier said that it will not encourage teaching and non-teaching staff attending schools unvaccinated.