Singapore: Vaccination drive for aviation staff to get air hub buzzing again

A mass exercise to vaccinate 37,000 front-line workers in the aviation and maritime sectors began yesterday, paving the way for Singapore to revive its flagging airline industry. About 13,000 workers have registered to get their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine this week and the exercise is set to be completed within two months, Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung said during a visit to the vaccination centre at Changi Airport Terminal 4. The vaccinations are a very important step towards reviving Singapore's air hub, which has been decimated by the pandemic, he said. Passenger traffic at Changi saw a 98% year-on-year decline last November. If a substantial number of aviation and maritime workers are vaccinated, "whoever comes through will know that it is safe, (that) our people are cohesive and we work as a team", Mr Ong said. "This is a huge advantage in terms of our brand name," he stressed. "Singapore Airlines (SIA) can be the first vaccinated international airline of the world." Inoculating front-line workers will also protect Singapore, he added, noting that while the situation here is under control, the virus is "raging like wildfire" abroad. The T4 centre will vaccinate up to 2,000 people a day and capacity can be further expanded, said the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS). Priority will be given to 20,000 front-line workers, including cabin crew, cleaners, security screeners and baggage handlers, who may come into contact with travellers from high-risk countries, as well as their belongings.<br/>