Chandigarh: Model Burail jail, Chhatbir Zoo start inoculating their staff, their kin

At least 49 residential units are situated in the outer premises of Model Burail Jail that house more than 130 people, including jail staff. There are at least 40 quarters situated inside the zoo premises.

Additional Inspector General (AIG), Prisons, Virat, said, “Along with the jail inmates, the family members of staff and employees are on our priority list. On Wednesday, we organized the first vaccination camp at Model Burail Jail during which the family members of our jail staff were also inoculated. Almost all family members of employees have received the first dose of the vaccine. We have also achieved almost 90 percent vaccination for all the jail inmates. The inmates and kin of jail staff members who are positive or had previously tested positive will be administered the dose as per government norms at a later date. We also arranged vaccination for the personnel of National Investigation Agency (NIA), who were deputed in the NIA office, within the boundaries of Model Burail jail.”

At least 91 jail staff and their family members along with 702 inmates were vaccinated on Wednesday, the official said.

Out of the 702 inmates, 665 were males and the remaining female. At least 12 inmates, who had tested Covid-19 positive but are asymptomatic, will be vaccinated once their test negative.

An official inside the jail said, “There are half a dozen family members of jail staff who have or had contracted the virus so far. The kin of such staff members coming in contact with others will cause the virus to spread. Security from the virus is also equally important for us.”

Meanwhile, the management of Chhatbir Zoo said it has vaccinated all its staff members along with their families who reside within the zoo compound. There are 40 government quarters for the zoo employees. So far, 12 family members of some of the zoo staff have tested positive for Covid-19.

Zoo field director, Naresh Kumar, said, “We completed the first round of vaccination for the staff personnel and their family members two days ago. A total 319 people, including the employees and their kin, were vaccinated.
Most of the employees are contractual. These employees reside in their independent houses in the surrounding areas of the zoo. Around 40 employees stay in the government quarters inside.”