ITF calls for vaccine patent waivers in fresh push for seafarer inoculations

The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) is again calling on countries to focus on vaccinating seafarers by backing vaccine patent waivers at an important World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting next month.

"If the rich countries do not support patent waivers at the 8 June TRIPS Council meeting, then not only will more seafarer lives be lost, we will also miss our opportunity to be rid of the crew-change crisis and the daily risk it places on essential supply chains," the ITF seafarers' section chair, David Heindel, said.