Bengaluru: Expatriates, students and international diplomats living in India are being given a Covid-19 vaccine but foreign tourists are not part of the trip.
The lack of policy, said experts, can prove to be limp when tourists can be infected and spread the virus, especially by opening international trips.
A middle-aged man from the West Asian country during a short visit to Bengaluru approached United Hospital in Jayanagar, Bengaluru, on Thursday looking for a dose of sputnik vaccine but the hospital was not clear whether it could be done.
He was sent back without vaccination.
“We have asked the BBMP for a guide to vaccinating the man.
We have accumulated the details.
But we can provide vaccination only after going forward from the government,” said Dr.
Vikram Siddareddy, founder of United Hospital.
Foreign tourists face Vax Hurdleshow, this is not the first example of foreign citizens who are rejected by vaccination in Bengaluru.
In the past two months, three foreigners visited Victoria Hospital, related to the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI), and only one of them, a Dutch national, got a shot.
“National foreigners brought PAN cards and said that he had lived in Bengaluru for the past two years and often visited the Netherlands.
Because he brought a legitimate identity card issued by the Indian government, he was given the first dose of the Covid vaccine.
But we cannot vaccinate two citizens Another foreigner because they did not carry any ID cards issued by the Indian government, “said Dr.
Ranganath TS, Nodal Officer for Covid vaccination.
When contacted, Arundhathi Chandrashekar, the mission of the National Health Mission Director, Karnataka, said that Covid-19 vaccination was open only for Indian citizens, unless they were diplomats, students and employees working in India.
However, members of the State Technical Advisory Committee told toi that central guidelines must be reviewed because vaccination is a basic health requirement.
“As long as foreign nationals live in India, like other people, he is susceptible to Covid and if infected, he has the potential to spread to others.
For the sake of public health, foreigners must be allowed to take vaccines,” said the member.