TAIPEI. Ever Rich Duty Free President Kevin Chiang led staff in taking the COVID-19 vaccine last week, setting an example for other airport workers, after Taiwan’s vaccination roll-out began on 8 April.
From 12 April, the Taiwan Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) offered the second and third priority groups their vaccinations to ensure the health of front-line workers in the travel sector. Ever Rich teams are in the third priority group, with Chiang and other staff receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine on Friday 16 April.
Ever Rich has more than 2,500 frontline workers who provide service at Taipei Songshan International Airport, Taoyuan International Airport, Taichung International Airport and Kaohsiung International Airport.
The company said: “With the tremendous magnitude of this impact, Ever Rich holds its baseline operation, putting full staff to work and providing airports with additional precautionary measures, such as free masks, shops and public area sanitisation and individual health checks.”
Kevin Chiang stressed that vaccination is not only in place to protect the health and safety of employees and to enhance service, but also to create a safe environment for all passengers, to strengthen their confidence and prepare for the border opening in the future.
The retailer noted that the territory had done a “superb job” in shutting down the spread of COVID-19.
It added that it expects an opening of the international border soon. Staff will complete vaccination shortly, with the company saying that it is “our responsibility to take all the measures and vaccination to protect our staff and passengers”.