West Coast ITF Inspectors assist in vaccinating seafarers
The dedicated team of ITF Inspectors has been working steadily throughout May, organizing and assisting grassroots efforts to get free or low-cost surplus Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccinations to international seafarers calling on the West Coast. This is part of a partnership between the ITF and Seafarers’ Centers around the US to get excess shots into the arms of grateful seafarers from around the world.
This effort comes on the heels of a 1 ½ year-long COVID-19 “Crew Change Crisis” that has resulted in seafarers being stuck on ships for months beyond the length of their contracts because of a lack of flights, US Customs and Border Patrol restraints, ongoing outbreaks of the virus, and well-meaning but problematic quarantines imposed by governments around the world. This solidarity work is utilizing all the networks, contacts, and experience of the team of West Coast ITF Inspectors—Stefan Mueller in LA/ Long Beach, Sam Levens in SF-Oakland, Martin Larson-Columbia River, and Jeff Engels the West Coast Coordinator based in the Puget Sound— as they carry out this direct action.
Port of Oakland
The Port of Oakland seafarer vaccination program is a collaborative effort between the International Maritime Center, the ITF, the Alameda Department of Public Health, and volunteers from the Inlandboatmen’s Union of the Pacific. “Our goal is to vaccinate as many international seafarers coming into the Port of Oakland and nearby ports as possible,” said ITF Inspector Sam The dedicated team of ITF Inspectors has been working steadily throughout May, organizing and assisting grassroots efforts to get free or low-cost surplus Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccinations to international seafarers calling on the West Coast. This is part of a partnership between the ITF and Seafarers’ Centers around the US to get excess shots into the arms of grateful seafarers from around the world. This effort comes on the heels of a 1 ½ year-long COVID-19 “Crew West Coast ITF Inspectors assist in vaccinating seafarers Levens. “We are starting with a once-a-week drop-in clinic, as well as shipboard vaccinations. On opening day, we were able to administer 58 shots on three ships and 71 shots on six ships at our second clinic. Most shots were administered onboard. We expect these numbers to climb as more seafarers find out about our program. We successfully worked with the US Coast Guard who publicized the event. Due to this collaboration, we were able to reach most of the vessels. There is an obvious need and desire for shots among international seafarers. We had to decline some requests due to scheduling issues, currently being limited to one day a week, and a need for more volunteers. With adequate resources, we could expand this program to meet the current need.”
LA/Long Beach
In Southern California, the Long Beach Health Department has dedicated a team to vaccinate seafarers in the nation’s largest port complex. Stefan Mueller was instrumental in getting this program going and is on top of the day-to-day details. Columbia River Martin Larson has worked hard to get shots in the arms of Seafarers on the Colombia River despite ongoing roadblocks by the US Customs and Border Patrol. As in all the other Ports, no challenge is too big for Martin Larson, and we will continue to ramp up operations there provided extra vaccines are available.
Puget Sound
In the Puget Sound, ITF Coordinator Engels is working with the Seafarers Centers in Tacoma and Seattle along with Discovery Health and the Seaport Alliance to assist seafarers to get shots on the ships or at local pharmacies, if need be. In addition, Engels is working on getting something going in Hawaii and Alaska using his labor contacts there as well as sitting on a National Vaccination Committee with other interested parties to help coordinate this ongoing project. Shipping lines are still free to make arrangements to vaccinate their crews but the ITF grassroots effort to provide vaccines at a low cost or free came about, in part because unscrupulous parties attempted to charge up to $1,500 per shot. When called upon ILWU officers and members have helped smooth things out like Terminal access as things move along., “It feels great to be part of something so positive on behalf of these seafarers, and it is creating a lot of goodwill both for the US as a whole and for the ITF Inspectors that come from the ILWU,” said Engels.
– Jeff Engels ITF Coordinator, West Coast USA