The Centre for Holistic Development (CHD), which works for the rights of the homeless, on Monday appealed to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan to include the homeless among the priority groups for COVID-19 vaccination after healthcare and front-line workers.
CHD executive director Sunil Aledia stated that the homeless were among the worst-hit and most vulnerable during the ongoing pandemic and the vaccine could be delivered to the homeless via government-owned and government-approved shelter homes and welfare institutions in Delhi.
“Day in and day out, I witness how poor nutrition and co-morbidities associated with living on the streets affect the ability of these homeless men, women, elderly, and children to access medical facilities,” he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
“As a medical professional, you know best that the weak immune systems of our homeless citizens compromise their ability to fight a deadly and novel virus like SARS-COV-2,” he also wrote.