Virgin Atlantic to support the NHS with vaccine rollout
Virgin Atlantic teams, spanning cabin crew, pilots, ground and office-based teams, are set to work with the NHS over the coming months to assist with the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine, supporting the national effort to save lives.
The airline is working with the NHS and St John’s Ambulance service to secure voluntary and paid opportunities for its people at NHS mass vaccination centres to support with the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine. Since the Covid-19 pandemic impacted, many Virgin Atlantic employees, including those with medical training have been furloughed on the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, offering their time and skills to support the NHS and our communities in the fight against Covid-19.
From administering the vaccine to patient welfare and managing the logistics of the vaccine centres, our people will undergo rigorous training in order to support NHS workers, to ensure patients enjoy a safe and seamless experience when receiving their vaccine.
From the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Virgin Atlantic has continually supported the NHS with its people volunteering at NHS Nightingale and the London and St John Ambulance services providing critical support during this difficult time. Virgin Atlantic Cargo has also carried over 1,500 tonnes of essential medical supplies including respirators, ventilator parts, face masks, scrubs, testing kits, aprons and eye protection and PPE equipment into the UK helping keep our NHS heroes working on the frontline safe and supporting patients who are in great need. The airline also stands ready to play a part in supporting the Covid-19 recovery by transporting crucial vaccines and pharmaceutical products to the UK and around the world on our global network, ensuring swift access to vaccines for the public.
Corneel Koster, Chief Customer and Operating Officer at Virgin Atlantic commented, “We are very grateful to the NHS for everything they are doing in extremely challenging circumstances. The mass vaccination programme is the only solution to beating this pandemic and we’re committed to help in any way we can, to support gearing up vaccinations as fast as possible.”
“We are very proud of our highly skilled people at Virgin Atlantic and since the beginning of the crisis we have received an amazing response with hundreds keen to sign up and support the NHS and frontline emergency services. Our people undergo rigorous training programmes in their roles which include medical, safety and customer service training and the NHS recognises the value and experience they will bring to this crucial mass vaccination programme.”
The NHS is offering a fast track application process for Virgin Atlantic people, who will all undergo training before being deployed, ready to support the NHS teams within days in the mass vaccination centres as well as in local vaccination facilities.
For further information please contact the Virgin Atlantic press office on press.office@fly.virgin.com
About Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic was founded by entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson 36 years ago with innovation and customer service at its core. In 2021, Virgin Atlantic was voted Britain’s only Global Five Star Airline by APEX for the fifth year running in the Official Airline Ratings. Headquartered in London, Virgin Atlantic and its holiday business, Virgin Atlantic Holidays, employs 6,500 people worldwide, serving 27 destinations across four continents. Sustainability remains central to the airline and in September 2019, Virgin Atlantic took delivery of its first Airbus A350-1000 aircraft - helping to transform the fleet into one of the quietest and most fuel efficient in the sky. By 2022, the airline will operate a streamlined fleet of 37 twin engine aircraft following the retirement of its 747s and A332s, and its simplified fleet will be 10% more efficient than before the Covid-19 crisis.
Alongside shareholder and Joint Venture partner Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic operates a leading transatlantic network between the UK and US with onward connections to over 200 US and international cities. On 3 February 2020, Air France-KLM, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic received approval from the US DOT to launch an expanded trans-Atlantic joint venture, offering a comprehensive route network, convenient flight schedules, competitive fares and reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, including the ability to earn and redeem miles across all carriers.
For more information visit www.virginatlantic.com or www.virginholidays.co.uk or via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @virginatlantic @virginholidays