The National Secretary of Ports and Waterways, Diogo Piloni e Silva, will ask the Ministry of Health to prioritize port workers for the COVID-19 vaccine. The risk of contamination through the logistic and supply procedures is one of the reasons for setting port workers in a priority group. The average age of port workers is 55. On April 7, Diogo Piloni, the deputy Rosana Valle (PSB), and the port unions joined a meeting for defining plans. The secretary heard from the union members that there are no sanitary measures to prevent Covid-19 on board. Piloni promised to call for measures from the port authorities. Rosana Valle reminded the secretary that port workers have never stopped working since the beginning of the pandemic. “Though they are essential for the country’s economy, they have no idea when they will be vaccinated, despite the risks for keeping regular contact with seafarers from all over the world”, she said.
Source: Portos e Navios (*Translated by Ia Niani)