by Donald Wood
Last updated: 10:51 AM ET, Thu March 11, 2021
United Arab Emirates airline Emirates has reportedly informed employees they can either receive a free COVID-19 vaccine or pay for the proper tests to prove they're not infected.
According to Reuters.com, the internal memo sent by Emirates executives and seen by the news agency revealed that crew members not vaccinated by March 15 would be required to pay for a coronavirus test valid for seven days to the start of the flight or standby duty.
Employees waiting for their second dose of the vaccine, currently registered for the first dose, have a valid medical reason or have been recently infected are exempt from the ruling.
"Certain countries may in the future differentiate entry criteria between those who have taken the vaccine and those who did not," the internal memo read. "Keeping this in mind, having a vaccinated workforce has become essential not just from a health and safety angle but from an operational one too."
The policy applies to all employees in the United Arab Emirates, as the carrier believes an unvaccinated workforce could create operational issues. An estimated 60 percent of cabin crews have been fully or partially vaccinated or are scheduled to be, according to the memo.
The airline has offered the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and another developed by China National Pharmaceutical Group to its employees for free since January.
In the United States, American Airlines and United Airlines are set to begin offering inoculations to employees in Chicago as early as March 11.
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