Compulsory leave for Punjab govt employees if even one Covid vaccine dose not taken

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh announced on Friday that state government employees failing to take even the first dose of Covid vaccine for any reason other than medical will be compulsorily sent on leave after September 15. This strong measure, an official statement said, was announced by Singh 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 review meeting held on Friday, 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, he said.