Centre must help if a citizen loses job due to vaccine

One-liner: If someone loses his livelihood due to the vaccine administered by the State, is the govt not duty-bound to redress his grievance? the Kerala High Court asked the Centre on Tuesday.

Why the poser: The poser came during the hearing of a man's plea for the third jab of an internationally recognised vaccine so that he can go back to Saudi Arabia, where he was working as a welder prior to the Covid outbreak.

Vaccine not recognised: He has moved the high court for the third jab of vaccine as the two doses of Covaxin he had received are not recognised or approved in the Gulf nation and therefore, he is unable to travel there.

• The Asst Solicitor General said that the vaccines were administered to save lives which was the focus during the pandemic and therefore, the Centre could not wait for international acceptance of the same

What the court says: The court, however, said that the restriction of movement or loss of employment of a citizen due to a vaccine administered by the State was an infringement of his fundamental rights.

• It asked the Asst SG to come with instructions on the Saudi Arabia issue by Nov 29, the next date of hearing

Two classes of citizens: On Nov 2, the HC had observed that the Centre's vaccination scheme has created two classes of citizens - those who got Covaxin, whose movements are restricted, and those who got Covishield can go anywhere.

Source: PTI