TAIPEI (The China Post) — As the Omicron variant sweeps across the world, many countries are rushing to get more of the population vaccinated to prevent further spread.
However, for migrant fishermen who spend most of their time on fishing boats and don’t have a fixed schedule of pulling up to port, some have not been able to get vaccinated which is why the National Immigration Agency (NIA, 移民署) recently set up a vaccination station at Pingtung’s harbors to ensure that there are no holes in Taiwan’s epidemic prevention measures.
On Dec. 16, migrant fishermen, some of whom were undocumented arrived to receive their vaccines, and the NIA made sure to be present to assure those who have currently exceeded their stay in Taiwan not to worry about being prosecuted when they show up.
Many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) also arrived at the spot on the day to help with the vaccination process and encourage employers who hire migrant fishermen to have their crew vaccinated.
The event saw around 237 local and migrant fishermen alike receive their vaccine shots, and crew members also expressed their thanks to Taiwan for providing them vaccines to protect them against the still-raging virus.