New Delhi, March 09:
Amid the vaccination drive against the Covid-19 in India, the Directorate General of civil aviation (DGCA) released a set of guidelines on Tuesday for the aircrew flying after receiving a jab. As per the guidelines, the pilots and other crew members will be considered “temporarily unfit for flying” for 48 days after receiving each dose of the vaccine. They will be monitored for 30 minutes at the vaccination centre for any “anaphylactic or idiosyncratic” reaction.
The aircrew will be allowed to resume their “unrestricted flying duties” after they fail to show any concerning symptoms within the said period, the guidelines further said.
In case the aircrew experiences any symptoms after 48 hours of the vaccination, a physician or company doctor will review their condition. “Such pilots can be declared fit for flying duties provided they are asymptomatic without any medications and a medical cure certificate to this effect to be obtained,” the DGCA stated.
In case the medical unfitness period post-vaccination continues for more than 14 days, then a ‘Special Medical Examination’ will be required to ascertain fitness for flying.
India rolled out a massive vaccination drive in the country on January 16. Since then it has inoculated more than 20 million people. During the first phase of the drive, only health workers and frontline workers were allowed to be administered the vaccine.
The second phase commenced on March 1 during which the government allowed those above 60 to be vaccinated. People are above 45 and below 60 can also get themselves vaccinated after presenting a specified co-morbidity certificate.
So far, the government is vaccinating people for free of cost. People also have an option of private vaccination centres where they get the jab at their own convenience. They will have to ₹250 to get the vaccine at private centres.
