Reliance, Infosys, Accenture to cover COVID-19 vaccination costs for employees

Reliance Foundation chairperson Nita Ambani said in a mail to employees that the company would bear the full cost of the vaccination for the employees, their spouses, parents and children. She also urged Reliance employees and their family members who are eligible to be administered the COVID-19 vaccine to register for the government of India’s inoculation programme. In the message, she further stated, “With your support, we will soon be able to put the pandemic behind us. Until then do not let your guard down. Continue to take the utmost safety and hygiene precautions. We are in the last stages of the collective battle. Together we must win and we will win.” Earlier, chairman and managing director Mukesh Ambani and Nita had given assurances that as soon as any approved vaccine is available in India, Reliance would plan for early vaccination of all employees and their family members. Meanwhile, software giant Infosys said it was looking at partnering with healthcare providers to vaccinate employees and their immediate families who are eligible under the guidelines put out by the government India’s second-largest IT services firm Infosys and tech giant Accenture on Wednesday said they will cover COVID-19 vaccination costs of their employees in India. People above 60 years of age and those in the 45-59 age bracket with comorbidities are being immunised in the second phase of nationwide vaccination that started on 1 March. “Infosys is looking at partnering with healthcare providers to vaccinate employees and their immediate families as eligible under the guidelines given by the Government of India and as per approved procedures and timelines,” Infosys Chief Operating Officer Pravin Rao said in an emailed statement. The company will cover the vaccination cost for the employees and their immediate family members as part of our focus on health and wellness, he added. Rekha M Menon, Chairperson and Senior Managing Director of Accenture in India said the company has continued to monitor and consider the guidance of external experts and groups, including international health organisations and local health authorities. “Based on this, we strongly support the scientific and public health advice that encourages vaccination for our people who are eligible and choose to receive the COVID-19 vaccination, Accenture in India will cover the cost for the employee and their dependents who are part of our medical benefits program,” she said. More than 1.56 crore vaccine doses were administered in the country through 3,12,188 sessions, according to a provisional report till Wednesday, 7 am. The beneficiaries include 67,42,187 healthcare workers (first dose), 27,13,144 HCWs (second dose), 55,70,230 FLWs or frontline workers (first dose), 834 FLWs (second dose), 71,896 people aged more than 45 years with specific co-morbidities (first dose) and 5,22,458 beneficiaries aged above 60 years. Infosys co-founders NR Narayana Murthy and Kris Gopalakrishnan, and Kotak Mahindra Bank MD and CEO Uday Kotak, are among the business leaders who have received the vaccination. Covaxin and Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield are the two vaccines that are being administered in the country. Covaxin has been indigenously developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). With inputs from PTI Disclaimer: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd which publishes Firstpost.