Chemists Association Demands To be Acknowledged as Covid Warriors

Bhubaneswar: Demanding to be acknowledged as Covid Warriors and get vaccinated, the chemists of Khurda district have warned to shut medicine stores in coming days if the state government doesn’t fulfill their demand.

The Khordha District Chemists and Druggists Association, president Pragati Mohanty said that the chemists have been demanding to be granted the COVID Warrior status since last year, but the state Government has not given any assurance in this regard.

Stating that over 100 chemists and staff of medical stores died due to Covid-19 in the first wave, she said that medicine retailers have worked as frontline workers by making sure to provide medicines to the public all the time. “Situation has worsened in the second wave and the state government should recognize us as Covid warriors and vaccinate us on priority basis,” she said.

The association threatened to shut around 20,000 medicine stores in the state, if a decision is not taken 15 days.