Airport workers ask to be vaccinated before the tourist season begins
vaccination
08 Mar 2021
/ 10:01
CORFU. In its statement the Corfu union of Civil Aviation Authority employees underlines their key role and the extra risks they are exposed to.
Statement:
Following the latest announcements from the government regarding the protection of those involved in tourism and priority in the vaccination programme for them, it needs to be stressed that airport staff are the most vulnerable. Thousands of passengers pass through the airport every day during the tourist season and are served by personnel in one way or another. Many of them come into direct contact with the passengers at counters, shops, cafes and during security procedures.
Last summer, when the tourist season began at the beginning of July, there were very few safety measures - limited to personal protection, masks, antiseptics and distancing where possible. In Corfu it seems that St. Spyridon once again performed a miracle as there were no cases of Covid-19 amongst the airport workers, otherwise, the consequences of a positive case would have been extremely serious. We can't even imagine what would have happened if a security employee, for example, was found to be positive and all the other employees he or she had come in contact with had to go into isolation.
It needs to be pointed out that throughout the whole tourist season not even one test was carried out on the workers, even though we had proposed it. So this year, with vaccination programme progressing so slowly, it is absolutely necessary that all the airport personnel be innoculated - all the ground staff and security personnel who deal with thousands of passengers and our colleagues in the Civil Aviation Authority, whose work is crucial for the smooth running and safety of flights.
As it seems that this year's season will begin at the beginning of May, the vaccination programme needs to be scheduled very soon as, depending on the company that produces the vaccine, there is a possibility that the second shot will be administered much later than the beginning of May - possibly even in July - and so the workers will not be fully protected. A large proportion of airport personnel are seasonal and are recruited at the last moment - many of them will only be informed 1 - 2 days before they begin work. Provisions need to be made for all of these employees!!
We are requesting that this begins to be implemented from TODAY and that the announcement we heard not just be empty words so that this season can proceed without unnecessary risks. Our patron saint can't protect us when we keep pushing our luck!!!
Following the latest announcements from the government regarding the protection of those involved in tourism and priority in the vaccination programme for them, it needs to be stressed that airport staff are the most vulnerable. Thousands of passengers pass through the airport every day during the tourist season and are served by personnel in one way or another. Many of them come into direct contact with the passengers at counters, shops, cafes and during security procedures.
Last summer, when the tourist season began at the beginning of July, there were very few safety measures - limited to personal protection, masks, antiseptics and distancing where possible. In Corfu it seems that St. Spyridon once again performed a miracle as there were no cases of Covid-19 amongst the airport workers, otherwise, the consequences of a positive case would have been extremely serious. We can't even imagine what would have happened if a security employee, for example, was found to be positive and all the other employees he or she had come in contact with had to go into isolation.
It needs to be pointed out that throughout the whole tourist season not even one test was carried out on the workers, even though we had proposed it. So this year, with vaccination programme progressing so slowly, it is absolutely necessary that all the airport personnel be innoculated - all the ground staff and security personnel who deal with thousands of passengers and our colleagues in the Civil Aviation Authority, whose work is crucial for the smooth running and safety of flights.
As it seems that this year's season will begin at the beginning of May, the vaccination programme needs to be scheduled very soon as, depending on the company that produces the vaccine, there is a possibility that the second shot will be administered much later than the beginning of May - possibly even in July - and so the workers will not be fully protected. A large proportion of airport personnel are seasonal and are recruited at the last moment - many of them will only be informed 1 - 2 days before they begin work. Provisions need to be made for all of these employees!!
We are requesting that this begins to be implemented from TODAY and that the announcement we heard not just be empty words so that this season can proceed without unnecessary risks. Our patron saint can't protect us when we keep pushing our luck!!!
