The trade unions affiliated to the health sector have decided to withdraw from their Covid-19 related duties from tomorrow (25) unless an immediate explanation as to how grassroot level health officials and their family members will be vaccinated. This was revealed by the President of the Public Health Inspectors Union Upul Rohana. The President of the Public Health Inspectors Union Upul Rohana further stated that the Ministry of Health yesterday (24) summoned five (05) relatives of one member of the Government Medical Officers' Association to be vaccinated in the Western Province. He stated that as soon as he became aware of this, he informed the Health Secretary about it last week. Rohana highlighted that such a practice was unethical as health staff who were at the forefront of the crackdown on Covid are also unable to go home due to fear of spreading the virus among their family members. Upul Rohana also condemned the attempt to protect only the Government Medical Officers' Association officials and their families by not vaccinating public and private officials, Grama Niladharis, journalists and field officers in the transport sector, including those working in trains, who are at high risk. He also said that the public health inspectors would not provide technical assistance at any of the vaccination sites tomorrow and that they would resign as trade unions if no arrangements were made to vaccinate not only the Government Medical Officers' Association and their families but also all members of the health sector and their families within 12 hours. However, when inquired about this, the Deputy Director General of Health Services Dr Hemantha Herath told The Morning that no such vaccination of relatives, apart from public vaccination, has been done with the knowledge of the Health Ministry.