Ana Starts Vaccinating Its Workers Against Covid
All Nippon Airways has begun a COVID-19 vaccination program for employees. The Japanese carrier is believed to be the first firm in the country to inoculate its workers on the job site.
It kicked off vaccinations on Sunday at a conference room in the Haneda Airport terminal building.
Pilots and cabin attendants for international flights had a temperature check before entering the room. The medical staff asked about their health status before giving a shot.
Fifty pilots and cabin attendants are to be vaccinated on the first day. Pilots have to wait at least two days before their next assignment while cabin attendants should wait at least a day.
ANA started the program ahead of schedule, saying that it had secured enough vaccines and medical stuff.
The airline says it will increase the number of vaccination sites and plans to offer shots to over 46,000 employees including group company employees and contractors.
Pilot Kira Toshihiro said he can now focus on his job without worrying about getting infected. He said the jab was no different from a flu shot.
Cabin attendant Ishiguro Mariko said she appreciates being inoculated, as she is a hospitality worker. She said she hopes the pandemic will be brought under control soon.
Hirasawa Juichi, an official in charge of planning, said their mission was to start workplace vaccinations at the earliest day possible.
He said employees involved in international flights are their first priority group and noted other countries are ahead of Japan in terms of vaccine rollouts.