AEPC requests 8,000 plus apparel exporters to vaccinate their workers

New Delhi, Apr 27 (KNN) Acting on the instruction of Textiles Minister Smriti Zubin Irani, Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) on Monday asked its 8,000 plus member exporters to get their workers and staff vaccinated soon.

“AEPC requests all its members to get their workers/ staff Covid-19 vaccinated at the earliest and also requests them to use their CSR funds for setting up makeshift hospitals and temporary Covid Care facilities,” AEPC Chairman Dr A Sakthivel said.

The Chairman issued a circular making the request based on a resolution passed in the Council’s 267th Executive Committee meeting held on Friday, a day after the Minister suggested AEPC to take the initiative in support of India’s vaccination drive.

In a virtual meeting with Dr Sakthivel last Thursday, Textiles Minister said that all the workers and staff working in the apparel factories should get vaccinated at the earliest. Same day, the government clarified that CSR funds will be allowed for setting up makeshift hospitals and temporary Covid care facilities.

India has launched the biggest COVID-19 vaccination drive in which about 14 crore people have already been vaccinated. Further, from 1 May 2021, the third phase of India's COVID-19 vaccination drive will begin allowing all citizens of 18 years of age and above to get vaccines.

“With an aim to support this initiative of the Minister of Textiles and Government of India, AEPC has asked its member exporters for carrying out vaccination of apparel sector workers,” Dr Sakthivel said, adding that the industrial establishments would be able to procure vaccine doses from the manufacturers.

The industries are mandated to follow all protocols such as being captured on CoWIN platform, linked to AEFI (Adverse Event Following Immunization) reporting and all other prescribed norms, as per the government’s guidelines on the Phase 3 strategy of the National Covid-19 vaccination program.

The industries have been instructed to coordinate with their respective state health departments for carrying out the vaccinations at their factory premises.