LABUAN: One hundred of seafarers around Labuan waters have begun receiving their Covid-19 vaccine shot on Monday at the Labuan International Ferry Terminal here.
Labuan Covid-19 Immunisation Programme chairman Rithuan Ismail said the recipients were among over 400 seafarers involved in the oil and gas and shipping-related sectors.
“It is advisable for these seafarers to be vaccinated as most of them use Labuan as their entry to sign on and sign off,” he told Bernama on Monday.
He said the vaccination exercise on seafarers was part of the Labuan Disaster Management Committee’s efforts to control the Covid-19 spread among the local community.
“After the vaccination exercise on seafarers is completed, we will move on to the oil and gas’ crew members working in offshore oil rigs and drilling platforms,” Rithuan said.
He said that the spike in Covid-19 cases in the duty-free-island was partly contributed by crew members in the oil and gas and shipping sectors.
Meanwhile, Marine Department director Alimuddin Amiruddin said the vaccination exercise was held in conjunction with World Seafarers Day, celebrated every year on June 25.
He said the programme was conducted by the Labuan healthcare personnel in collaboration with the Labuan Marine Department and LDA Holdings Sdn Bhd.
Alimuddin said the vaccination exercise would continue on Tuesday involving another 200 seafarers.
“We received applications from 416 seafarers for the vaccination programme, and we will get the remaining crew members to take turns to board the vessel to the ferry terminal,” he told reporters after observing the vaccination process.
In an effort to stem Covid-19 cases, vessels docking in all Labuan waters are not allowed to ‘sign off’ their crew of any nationality into Labuan during the imposition of the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) in the island from May 24 until June 28. – Bernama