IATA urges the aviation personnel to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 as a priority

Created on 22.12.2020 14:39

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) encourages governments to provide the COVID-19 vaccine for aviation staff and include them at the priority list after medical personnel and persons in high-risk groups, the news agency ATO writes.

“We are not asking the aviation industry to be at the top of the list, but we do need governments to consider transport employees as strategic personnel when developing the vaccine distribution plans. The supply of COVID-19 vaccines has already begun and the global distribution would require a carrying capacity to 8,000 Boeing 747 aircrafts. Therefore, it is vital that we should have a qualified personnel capable of ensuring the uninterrupted functioning of the supply chain”, Alexandre de Juniac commented, the IATA Director General.

IATA stated that the association's position is consistent with the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) for prioritizing the vaccine distribution. A related WHO document dated November 13 states that transport employees should be able to get vaccinated when vaccine availability is "moderate", along with other priority occupations such as police officers, municipal personnel, agricultural workers, etc.

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