India's Jindal Steel in talks to get COVID-19 vaccines for employees

BENGALURU: Steel producer Jindal Steel and Power Ltd said on Monday it was reaching out to COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers for a bulk supply of doses for its employees after the Indian government kicked off one of the world's largest vaccination campaigns over the weekend.

"Will try to get these doses after completion of all frontline COVID warriors' vaccination," Pankaj Lochan, chief human resource officer, JSPL, said in a statement, making it among the first big companies to make a public statement on vaccination plans.

Another steel producer, Tata Steel Ltd said the company would vaccinate its employees as per the government guidelines when vaccines were made available.

India began vaccinating health workers and other frontline workers, such as those in sanitation and security, followed by about 270 million people older than 50 or deemed high-risk because of pre-existing medical conditions.

India is currently using Britain's Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine, which is also being produced in India, and a government-backed vaccine developed by India's Bharat Biotech.

"We have also categorised employees in order of vulnerability, so the ones above the age of 50 years and those who were infected from COVID-19 can be vaccinated first," Lochan said.

JSPL, however, did not provide details on vaccine manufacturers that the company was getting in touch with or the number of doses it was looking for.