Amid worldwide consensus that health workers and the vulnerable be prioritised in the provision of a Covid-19 vaccine, a call is being made for aviation workers to follow closely behind.
The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (Ifalpa) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) have argued that aviation workers will play a key role in the integrity of the global supply chain. “An effective global vaccine strategy will rely on the availability of healthy, rested and trained flight crews and other aviation workers,” they say.
In addition to providing a level of protection for crew members, it is anticipated that countries will require proof of vaccination for entry. “Timely vaccination for aviation workers will help to ensure they are able to continue to operate the cargo and passenger flights that form important links in the global supply chain, particularly for workers that have critical safety, security or customer-facing roles.”
This position is consistent with World Health Organization’s ‘Roadmap For Prioritising Uses Of Covid-19 Vaccines’.
This roadmap identifies priority populations for vaccination based on epidemiologic settings and vaccine supplies. Health workers and high-risk persons are prioritised, after which transport workers along with other key workers outside the health and education sectors are recommended for priority.
