By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A Bahamian airline yesterday said 100 percent of its employees are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19 after staff received their second and final shots in the morning.

Trans Island Airways in a statement said all flight crew, ground crew, maintenance teams, sales and reservations staff, together with back office workers, had all made the choice to become fully inoculated after starting its vaccination drive started just over one month ago.

All employees have received doses of either the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna or the Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca) vaccines. Paul Francis Aranha, Trans Island Airways’ director of operations, said: “The vaccine will allow our team to continue to help people travel, easily connecting The Bahamas to the world.

“It will provide our people with the protection that was desperately needed having been on the front lines for the past 15 months. It will help to ensure that Trans Island continues to run effortlessly and provide our clients with an added layer of security when they choose to fly Trans Island Airways.

“We are very happy with everyone’s willingness to take the vaccine and so proud to hit the 100 percent mark. We are excited that the vaccine will make it easier for customers to travel and fully support the new Bahamian travel visa guidelines for fully vaccinated travellers”

Trans Island Airways said it adopted COVID-19 protocols early in January 2020 due to its exposure in to European and Middle Eastern flight operations, and implemented strict sanitisation and protective measures to safeguard crew and passengers.

It added that no Trans Island Airways employee has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, and there have been no reported cases transmitted between passengers traveling on its flights. The company said all future Trans Island Airways employees will be required to have taken at least their first vaccination shot prior to starting employment.

Meanwhile, Galleria Cinemas said it had to reassure customers it was open over the Whit Monday holiday weekend after the Government’s Thursday night release of its latest COVID-19 emergency orders  “caused a great deal of confusion and uncertainty for scores of local businesses and the wider public”.

“Unfortunately, the new orders have mandated the closure of scores of entertainment-based entities such as bars and nightclubs over the long holiday weekend. The order also mandates the closure of ‘indoor cinemas’ as well,” the Mall at Marathon-based operator added.

The Government rushed out a clarification several hours later confirming that Galleria Cinemas, and similar businesses which it had previously given permission/exemptions to open, could operate over the holiday weekend. Galleria gained its approval on March 18, 2021, and is operating at one-third capacity with staggered showings due to COVID-19 related health protocols.