The Bengal government has asked district administrations to vaccinate family members of health care workers directly involved in the treatment of Covid patients on a priority basis, terming them as “at risk” and “potential spreaders”.

The state health and family welfare department has also directed the district magistrates and chief medical officers (health) across the state to undertake similar vaccination drives for family members of informal health care providers (IHCP) who have been tending to Covid patients in the rural areas.

“This decision should have been taken by the state government much earlier. Many family members of doctors, nurses and other health care workers had tested positive and also died. However, it is a good decision which should be implemented fast”, said a doctor attached to a government-run hospital.

On May 25, the state health department issued a list of categories of people who needed to be vaccinated on a priority basis stating them as potential super-spreaders.

The state government enlists over one lakh health care workers including doctors, nurses, medical technologists, pharmacists, GDA, and ambulance drivers. The number of informal health care providers across the state is around 2.5 lakh, who have been included in the Covid patient support programme in the rural areas.

Manoj Chakraborty, state president of the Progressive Rural Physician Welfare Association, West Bengal, an organisation of the IHCP, said: “Vaccination of family members of all categories of health care workers involved in Covid management was our longstanding demand. We are thankful to chief minister Mamata Banerjee for considering our demand.”