37,000 frontline aviation, maritime workers to be prioritised for COVID-19 vaccine

SINGAPORE: Plans to provide COVID-19 vaccines to 37,000 frontline workers in the aviation and maritime sectors kicked off on Monday (Jan 18), with vaccination centres for the two industries coming into full swing.

During a visit to one of the vaccination centres at Changi Airport Terminal 4, Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung said about 13,000 workers from the two sectors are already scheduled to be vaccinated this week under the Sea-Air Vaccination Exercise.

About 2,000 workers from the aviation sector will receive the vaccine on Monday at T4, while about 1,000 maritime workers will be vaccinated at the Raffles City Convention Centre.

"I am encouraged by the number and I hope in the coming weeks more will come," said Mr Ong, who himself got vaccinated during his visit to T4. 

Around 7,000 aviation workers are scheduled to be vaccinated this week.

Priority will be given to the 20,000 frontline workers who may come into contact with travellers from high-risk countries, said the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).

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"These include pilots, cabin crew, airport and aircraft cleaners, security screeners, passenger service agents, baggage handlers and cargo handlers," said CAAS in a statement to the media. 

Mr Ong described this as an important step towards the revival of Singapore's air sector. 

"You all know that the aviation industry is decimated by COVID-19, but we must have the determination that when the crisis passes, Singapore will be an aviation hub of the region and the world again," he said.

This is why Singapore continues to pursue different safe travel schemes such as green lanes, air travel bubbles and segregated travel, he said, adding this will position the country for aviation's eventual recovery.

Having Singapore's frontliners in aviation and maritime vaccinated will also help in terms of the country's reputation as a safe space amid the global pandemic. 

"Singapore Airlines can be the first vaccinated international airline in the world," he said.

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The vaccination exercise would also help further protect Singapore, said Mr Ong, adding that the vaccinated frontline workers could act as defenders of the country's borders against the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Noting that each of the vaccination centres was able to handle up to 4,000 vaccinations a day, with 21 days between the two jabs required for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, Mr Ong said the 37,000 workers could get the vaccine within two months. 

When asked if the rising number of vaccinations in other countries would affect travel entry requirements into Singapore, Mr Ong described it as a "big question" that he hoped to be able to answer during the Committee of Supply debates for his ministry.

On whether the air travel bubble with Hong Kong would be revived by the Chinese New Year holiday, Mr Ong declined to commit to a date, noting that the two cities had an agreement on the table, ready to be activated when the time was right. 

Singapore continues to explore travel arrangements with other regions and countries, he said. 

"As and when they are ready, we will announce them," he said. 

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