The DoT has asked the Ministry of Health to recognize frontline telecom workers as “frontline warriors”. The telecom department seeks to prioritize the workforce for the COVID-19 vaccine.
Telecom Workers are Frontline Workers, Too
Telecom Secretary Anshu Prakash wrote to Rajesh Bhushan, Health Secretary, in March 2021. In the letter, Prakash expressed that the DoT endorsed COAI's request.
He further added, “There is no doubt that the telecom field force continues to work relentlessly to ensure uninterrupted data and voice services across the country and that in this endeavor the risk exposure for COVID-19 is high".
He also said that COAI's request "may be considered favorably”.
Notably, before this, the three big telcos - Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea, via COAI, wrote to DoT to categorize telecom field staff as "frontline workers". This will ensure that they receive vaccination on a priority basis.
SP Kochhar, DG, COAI, had written to DoT regarding this a day before DoT Secretary wrote to Health Secretary. He pointed out that there is an increased load on networks due to WFH and other factors. As such, telcos are continuously increasing network capacity to accommodate the load.
He mentioned that “the frontline workforce of telecom providers continued to provide services on a regular basis despite grave risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic”.
Further, he had said that it was essential for these people to be categorized as frontline workers. That will ensure that they are vaccinated first and the industry can carry on without any major setbacks.
TAIPA, in the meanwhile, also wrote to the NHA to include telecom infrastructure personnel under "frontline worker" status. The towers body said that telecom infra service providers are taking risks and maintaining services on a regular basis.
"It is essential that they are given priority irrespective of their age group, for administering the COVID-19 prevention vaccine in all the states,” it had said.