Allahabad High Court asks government to consider vaccinating students appearing for Board exams

Due to the fear looming large with the onset of a fresh surge in COVID-19 cases across the country, the Allahabad High Court has suggested that the government must consider vaccinating students appearing for board exams, against the virus.

The high court directed the Central Government and Indian Council of Medical Research to consider giving vaccination to students pursuing higher education and giving board examinations amid the growing number of COVID-19 cases in India.

In its direction, the high court said that if the Board and other examination conducting bodies are going for the offline examination then government must consider extending the benefit of vaccination to such students as well.

"Central Government and Indian Counsel for Medical Research must rethink for extending the benefit of vaccination to students pursuing higher education and those appearing in Board examination of high school and intermediate looking to the large scale infection in the population of the younger generation. If the Board and other examination conducting bodies are going for the offline examination then government must explore viability to extend the benefit of vaccination to such students as well," the court stated.

Observing that the 'situation is so alarming', the bench has issued a slew of other directions to the Central and State authorities for effective management of the pandemic situation.

The Court also directed the Central and State authorities to ensure the availability of Remdesivir, an injectable antiviral medicine, in the open market.