United Airways pilot Steve Lindland receives a COVID-19 vaccine from RN Sandra Manella at United’s onsite clinic at O’Hare Worldwide Airport on March 09, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois.
Scott Olson | Getty Photographs
United Airlines hasn’t had a Covid-related demise amongst its practically 70,000 workers in eight weeks, a development its CEO says is because of the airline’s vaccine mandate.
United in August issued the strictest vaccine mandate amongst U.S. carriers: workers should be vaccinated towards Covid or face termination. This fall, greater than 96% of its workers have been vaccinated, the corporate stated.
Like in the remainder of the nation and at different airways, Covid infections have surged amongst United’s workers, forcing the provider to chop additional flights, a transfer United and other airlines have taken since late last year. About 3,000 United workers are constructive for Covid, CEO Scott Kirby informed workers late Monday. Zero are hospitalized, he stated.
Kirby stated previous to the vaccine mandate, a couple of United worker died per week on common. “However we have now gone eight straight weeks with zero COVID-related deaths amongst our vaccinated workers – based mostly on United’s prior expertise and the nationwide information associated to COVID fatalities among the many unvaccinated, meaning there are roughly 8-10 United workers who’re alive right this moment due to our vaccine requirement.”
Different airways did not instantly remark. United put its vaccine mandate in place earlier than the Biden administration required federal contractors, like main airways, to mandate vaccines or obtain a medical or spiritual exemption for employees.
