SEAFARERS and AIRCREW MUST BE GIVEN PRIORITY FOR COVID-19 VACCINATION: WHO & IMO
COURTESY: IMO
COVID-19 has affected every common man's life. IN the context of seafarers and aircrew who are badly affected to go and trasist the country for joining their duty, UN & IMO TOGETHER COMES OUT promoting the safeguard of seafarers and aircrew.
On 25 March 2021 circular letter no. 4204/add.38, IMO, In this circular address that aircrew and seafarers are 'keyworkers' and priorities must be given first for their covid-19 vaccinations.
This statement comes out after the joint statement of five U.N agencies including the world health organization, INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION FOR MIGRATION (IOM), INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANISATION(IMO), INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION(ILO), INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANISATION(ICAO)
IN THIS JOINT STATEMENT SAID “: FOR SHIPPING AND AIR TRANSPORT TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE SAFELY, THE SAFE CROSS BRODER MOVEMENT OF SEAFARERS AND AIRCREW MUST BE FACILITATED.
WE REITERATE OUR CALL UPON COUNTRIES THAT HAVE NOT DONE SO TO DESIGNATE SEAFARERS AND AIRCREW AS KEYWORKERS”
They express their concern over seafarers and aircrew as they are important to the staff as travel across the borders.
The joint statement
The coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic has triggered devastating consequences for human life and the global economy.
Maritimes and air transport are the 2 essential activities that underpin global trade and mobility and are key to sustainable socio-economic recovery.
More than 80% of global trade bt volume is moved by maritime transport. The global economy depends on the world’s 2 million seafarers who operate the global fleet of the merchant ship. seafarers have been severely impacted by the travel restrictions imposed during the pandemic. as of January 2021, it is estimated that some 400,000 seafarers are stranded on board. commercial vessels, long past the expiry of their contract and unable to be repatriated. A similar number of seafarers urgently needed to join the ship to replace them.
Passenger air transport carried about 5.7 billion passengers in 2019 while airfreight represents 35%of the value of the good. The total no of licensed aviation professionals was 887000 in 2019 according to ICAO PERSONNEL Statistics. application of stringent public health rules to aircrew, including quarantine, has resulted in hindered connectivity, operational complexity, and significant cost.
Maritime and air transport reply on seafarers and crew. they are key workers required to travel across the border all the times, which may result in the need for them to present proof of covid -19 vaccination as the condition for entry in some counties.
This is despite the WHO recommendation that, at present, countries should not introduce requirements of proof of vaccination for international travel as a condition of entry, as there are still critical unknowns regarding the efficacy of vaccination in reducing transmission and limited availability of vaccines. For shipping and air transport to continue to operate safely, the safe cross broader movement of seafarers and aircrew must be facilitated. We reiterate our call upon countries that have not done so to designate seafarers and aircrew as key workers.
courtesy; IMO
The above statement stated the county to have and consider seafarers and aircrew as key workers to be given priorities for covid-19 VACCINATION and reduce the concern for the shortage of crew worldwide as this will seriously affect the market.
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