Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar says that states need to open up the implementation of the coronavirus vaccine to people aged 65 and over.
American Airlines is telling its pilots to get the COVID-19 vaccine on their days off if they choose to be vaccinated against the virus, which the company is not currently requiring, according to a memo revised by Reuters.
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“Your decision to get the vaccines is a personal decision and is currently not required by the company,” said American line operations director Chip Long and flight operations director John Dudley in the joint memo.
“That way, if you decide to get the vaccine, you should schedule it on your days off so that it doesn’t affect your ability to be in place and operate your scheduled flight according to the 48-hour requirement,” they said.
| Ticker | Safety | Last | change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAL | AMERICAN AIRLINES GROUP INC. | 16.29 | +0.76 | + 4.87% |
The Federal Aviation Administration said pilots and controllers should not fly or perform safety-related tasks for 48 hours after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
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Asked about the memo, American Airlines said it is working on plans to provide the vaccine to pilots and other employees as it becomes available in different states, but does not plan to require it unless entry is required by certain countries.
“As we work to develop a program to connect our team with the COVID-19 vaccine, we are encouraging team members to get vaccinated as opportunities arise for that,” said spokeswoman Stacy Day.
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Inoculation against coronavirus disease is considered the key to safely reopening much of the United States economy.
Air travel has been particularly affected by the pandemic, and strict rules that put healthcare professionals first in line have slowed deployment in the United States. States are now being urged to vaccinate anyone over 65 as well.
(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)