The American airline Delta announced that, starting from October, it will start charging a financial fee of $ 200 to all employees who are not vaccinated against Covid-19 to be able to cover their treatment expenses if they are infected, according to the company's president, Ad Bastian, on Wednesday.
"The additional cost that will be levied is necessary to counter the financial risks that the decision not to receive vaccines poses to our company," Bastian said in a note to workers and employees.
This step is the latest step by a major American airline to encourage vaccination, while some companies have gone so far as to make the vaccine mandatory in their ranks.
The company revealed that 75 percent of its workforce has become vaccinated against Covid, but the new, more widespread Delta mutant creates new problems in the company's face.
"In recent weeks, since the outbreak of mutant B1.617.2, all Delta employees who underwent treatment for infection have not fully received the vaccine," Bastian said, noting that the average cost of treatment per person amounted to $50,000.
"While we are proud of our company's 75 percent vaccination rate, the strength of the mutation means we need to vaccinate more of our employees, to be as close to 100 percent as possible."
Bastian mentioned that the Pfizer-Biontech vaccine had received full approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which confirms its efficacy and safety.
In addition to the monthly financial fee, workers and unvaccinated employees must immediately put masks on, and, starting next month, they will also have to conduct weekly checks.
Bastian said that after September 30, financial coverage for treatment of Covid will be provided only to employees who have received the full vaccine in the event of infection.
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