Tell Your Governor: Prioritize Flight Attendants for the COVID Vaccine
January 26, 2021
Flight Attendants have been on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic since before most Americans had even heard about the virus on the news.
From the first days of the pandemic, we’ve continued to perform essential jobs, keeping travel and cargo moving. But despite our role maintaining this critical industry, we are not yet in a priority tier for the vaccine in most of the country.
Write a letter to your governor and ask that Flight Attendants be included in Tier 1b.
The CDC recognized our unique role and recommended that we be included in vaccine Tier 1b alongside most other essential workers. But the previous administration refused to issue consistent requirements, leaving each state’s governor to determine eligibility order.
As we have since the beginning, AFA is working with aviation unions and industry partners to advocate for Flight Attendants and aviation workers.
Pilots are not being given priority access to the vaccine. Due to conditions of their FAA-issued airman medical certification, the FAA must approve the vaccine for Pilots to receive it. This is the result of certification requirements that are unique to pilots, and does not reflect differential treatment. We are working as #OneCrew to get priority access for all crewmembers in all states.
We hope you’ll take a few moments to send your governor a letter and demand they give Tier 1b priority to Flight Attendants and all essential aviation workers.
In Solidarity,
Sara Nelson, AFA International President
Debora Sutor, AFA International Vice President
Kevin Creighan, AFA International Secretary-Treasurer
