PANAJI: With the Indian government announcing a reduction in the gap between vaccine doses from 84 days to 28 days for those undertaking international travel for employment or education, shipping companies have already started asking seafarers to get themselves fully vaccinated in India in preparation for joining.
Goan Seamen Association of India president Frank Viegas said the decision has been welcomed by the seafarer community.
Prior to this announcement, seafarers were in a fix, he said, where few travelled from Goa with only a Covid-19 negative certificate and others with having received just one dose of the vaccine.
Viegas said few seafarers have been able to receive their second vaccine dose in the UK.
Seafarers in the age group of 18-44 years were recently identified as a priority group for walk-in vaccinations at any health centre.
Viegas said that some seafarers in the 45+ age group who received their first dose had been eagerly waiting for the government to designate competent authorities for them to be able to take their second dose and join the ship.
“Vaccination centres are not permitting them to receive their second doses yet.
A competent authority is being designated to verify their letter of engagement/ flight details, to permit them to be given the second dose within 28 days.
We request that one officer be appointed in every health centre to verify documents so that seafarers are not made to run around.
If those on duty have any doubts, they can seek clarification on the phone with Captain of Ports,” he said.
The Captain of ports is assisting seafarers who don’t have proper documentation, but have alternative evidence to prove that they are seafarers.
Seafarers without Indian continuous discharge certificate (CDC) or seafarers identity document (SIDs) are being permitted for vaccination against other supportive documentation, Viegas said.
Viegas on Tuesday also requested the state government to release the seafarer’s welfare pension scheme which has been pending since October 2019.