Condor wants priority vaccinations for crew
CONDOR is urging the authorities in the Channel Islands, UK and France to reconsider their refusals to allow ferry crew to be vaccinated as a priority.
A spokesman said it was acutely aware of its responsibilities for maintaining passenger and freight connectivity to the islands.
‘The safety measures we put in place a year ago are designed to minimise any risk from Covid to crew, staff and passengers and in doing so safeguard the critical freight supply chain from Portsmouth.
‘We have made several requests to local governments and French and UK authorities over the past four months for our crew to be given priority status for receiving vaccinations and protect the vital daily freight supply chain to the islands. On each occasion, we have sadly been turned down.’
As Guernsey and Jersey start to relax restrictions and allow full and open travel again, he said Condor was mindful that maintaining these supply routes remains a major priority for both islands.
‘If any crew members potentially become infected and are critical to the ship’s operation, this could result in cancellations and disruption to our freight and passenger services.
‘We lost three island calls in December and January due to crew testing positive and naturally are very keen to avoid any repeat.
‘We continue to liaise with authorities requesting that they reconsider,’ said the spokesman.
More than 32m. people in the UK have received at least one dose of a vaccine as the programme moves to those aged below 50.
Those considered most at risk – people aged 70 and over, care home residents, health care workers and people required to shield – were offered a jab by mid-February.
The UK government plans to vaccinate the rest of the adult population, another 21m. people, by the end of July.
After a slow start, the vaccine roll-out in France has picked up speed.
All French nationals and residents aged 55 and over can now get a vaccination.
It reached a target of 10m. first doses a week ahead of its mid-April target. The government aims to deliver another 10m. first shots by mid-May.
By mid-April, almost 71,000 doses of vaccine had been dispensed in Jersey, with 29% of adults receiving two doses and a further 23% having had a single dose.
In Guernsey, as of 18 April, 19% of the adult population has had two doses and a further 46% one dose.
Phase two, for those aged between 18 and 49 who are not vulnerable, is scheduled to begin on Monday 24 May.
The island will begin relaxing border restrictions on Friday, when one week’s self-isolation will be in place for travel from jurisdictions with fewer than 100 coronavirus cases per 100,000 people.
From 14 May, those travelling from areas with fewer than 30 cases per 100,000 will have to self-isolate only until receiving a negative test result.
