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The first of Air New Zealand’s 3,800 front-line workers will receive Covid-19 vaccines on Thursday.
Air New Zealand Medical Director Ben Johnston said that all Air New Zealand cabin crew and pilots, as well as airport, cargo and line maintenance personnel in Auckland and Christchurch would receive vaccinations over the next several weeks.
“While it is not required, we strongly encourage our people to take the opportunity to get vaccinated as part of priority deployment,” Johnston said.
The airline was educating staff on how the vaccine worked, the benefits of receiving it and key safety information, so they could make an informed decision, he said.
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For now, there would be no impact on a staff member’s ability to carry out their duties if they chose not to get vaccinated, he said.
But that could change depending on future government requirements – for example, mandatory vaccination is a condition for entering a country, he said.
“It is something that we will continue to observe.”
CEO Greg Foran, who interacts with front-line staff at least once a week, recently said he wanted to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
Foran has spoken in the past about how some Air New Zealand staff members have been ostracized because they were perceived by people as a Covid-19 risk due to their work involving travel abroad.
Lawrence Smith / Stuff
Audrey Poskitt, who works on Air New Zealand’s Boeing 787-9s, says she expects perceptions towards the international crew to change once they are vaccinated.
Johnston said Air New Zealand personnel were among the hardest hit by Covid-19 safety requirements, which include having to follow isolation protocols abroad, undergo regular testing, and wear personal protective equipment at work. or isolate themselves when returning from their duties.
“We welcome the Government’s decision to prioritize border workers for vaccines as a means of protecting those most at risk of contracting Covid-19 in New Zealand.”
A safe and effective vaccine was a vital step toward long-term control of Covid-19 and the opening of New Zealand’s borders, and the airline was pleased that its employees had priority in receiving it, he said.
The start of vaccinations for Air New Zealand staff was the biggest thing to happen at the airline since the pandemic began, he said.
The vaccination program offered staff some relief from anxiety caused by Covid-19, he said.
It would take time for Covid-19 restrictions and protocols for front-line personnel to ease, he said.
The Ministry of Health first wanted to see two things: the impact of the vaccine on the potential to transmit the virus and, second, what the coverage of the vaccine was like in the general population.
“Ultimately, it is in their hands and they have said there are no immediate changes.”
The Health Ministry also set guidelines on which Air New Zealand personnel had priority for vaccination, he said.
Air New Zealand Boeing 787-9 pilot Paul Dawson flies to high-risk cities in North America, including San Francisco.
On Thursday he is scheduled to receive his first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
Being fully vaccinated would offer peace of mind and more confidence to mitigate the risk of contracting Covid-19 when visiting ports abroad, he said.
“The vaccine will make a big difference for us,” Dawson said.
It was exciting to be among the first people in New Zealand to receive a vaccine, he said.
“Being part of the first wave in New Zealand is really exciting.
“There is probably a small degree of the unknown, but that did not worry or disconcert me.”
Air New Zealand Boeing 787-9 in-flight service manager Audrey Poskitt would be one of the first on the airline to be vaccinated.
He said he hoped getting vaccinated would help change the perception of aircrew flying abroad.
“Receiving the vaccine for me means providing an additional layer of protection to my community, in addition to the measures that are already in place,” Poskitt said.
“My husband has compromised immunity, and when I come home from work abroad, we often spend time in different parts of the house.”
The vaccination helped keep her husband and the rest of her whānau and friends safe, she said.
