In an updated version of ICS practical guide with regards to vaccination, it is highlighted that seafarers are required by the nature of their job to travel across the world to locations which have different levels of COVID-19 infections.
Fully vaccinated people maybe exempted from, or subject to, more relaxed quarantine restrictions and testing requirements for travel and if they are a near contact of a confirmed case. This varies country to country and local regulations must be follow
ISC further explains that all COVID-19 vaccines on the World Health Organization’s Emergency Use Listing reduce the severity of symptoms or prevent symptoms completely in a vaccinated person. Vaccinated people are also less likely to be infected if they are a near contact of someone with confirmed COVID-19. Vaccinated people can carry the virus and spread it to others although they are likely to carry less virus and be infectious to others for a shorter period.
COVID-19 vaccines reduce the risk of:
• Catching the virus if you are a close contact of a confirmed case. If you don’t catch it you can’t spread it and therefore the vaccine also means that person has a reduced risk of spreading it to others;
• Severe illness;
• Hospital care; and
• Death.
READ ICS GUIDE HERE (FEBRUARY EDITION)
