Bengal elections: COVID vaccination of polling officials to begin on Feb 22

The COVID-19 inoculation processof polling officials who will be involved in the ensuingassembly elections in West Bengal will commence from February22, a senior health official said.

''All polling officials are considered as frontlineworkers and as per the rule, must be vaccinated before theelection process starts in West Bengal. We will commence theinoculation programme for such workers from Monday,'' he said.

State Health Secretary N S Nigam had recently held avirtual meeting with the district magistrates and healthofficials in this connection, sources in the Health Departmentsaid.

All district magistrates have been directed to sendthe lists of polling officials who will be inoculated first,he said.

Nearly 4.5 lakh polling officials will be involved inthe election process in the state, a source in the ChiefElection Office said.

Elections to the 294-member state assembly are due inApril-May.