Seafarers should be prioritised in national COVID-19 vaccination programmes, says IMO

The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) has adopted a resolution that encourages actions to prioritise seafarers in national COVID-19 vaccination programmes.

It recommends that member states and relevant national authorities prioritise their seafarers, as far as practicable, in their national COVID-19 vaccination programmes, all while taking into account the World Health Organisation (WHO) SAGE roadmap.

Proper consideration of extending COVID-19 vaccines to seafarers of other nationalities is also recommended within the resolution, taking into account their national vaccines supply.