Public transport workers in Moscow are required to get flu shots by October 31 inclusive. Those who do not get vaccinated, heads of enterprises subordinate to the Department of Transport have been ordered not to be allowed to work. The relevant requirements are contained in the order of the Head of the Department of Transport and Development of Road and Transport Infrastructure in Moscow Maxim Liksutov No. 61-02-504 / 20 dated October 26, 2020 “On strengthening measures aimed at carrying out preventive vaccinations against influenza in the transport complex of Moscow “(At the disposal of Vedomosti).
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As explained in the document, the heads of transport organizations must ensure that employees are vaccinated “in order to protect the life and health of workers, to prevent an increase in morbidity during a seasonal exacerbation of influenza, acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections, and taking into account the unfavorable epidemiological situation associated with the spread of a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19 ) “. The basis for such requirements and restrictions, including non-admission to work, is indicated in the document by the federal law “On immunization of infectious diseases” and the decree of the government of the Russian Federation No. 825 “On approval of the list of works, the performance of which is associated with a high risk of contracting infectious diseases and requires mandatory preventive vaccinations “. “These are the recommendations of the doctors of our subordinate enterprises,” added the press service of the Moscow Department of Transport in response to a request from Vedomosti.
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In accordance with the order, by October 31, at least 85% of workers in the capital’s transport sector should be covered with preventive vaccinations. When asked how many employees had been vaccinated as of October 29, the mayor’s office did not answer Vedomosti. However, there is reason to believe that this figure is well below 85%. “We don’t like the fact that vaccinations are made forcibly,” Andrei, a metro employee, told the publication. Moreover, according to him, shortly before that, metro workers were offered to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for money. “I don’t know if anyone agreed, there are no such people among my acquaintances,” says an employee of the Moscow metro. – Therefore, there are fears that we will be injected with a vaccine against covid under the guise of flu shots. I don’t want to be a guinea pig. “
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According to him, the workers found a way out of this situation: they make flu shots on their own and take the relevant certificates. “Those who categorically do not want to be vaccinated, I’m sure, make fake inquiries,” the metro told Vedomosti. “We have to do this, because we are told that from November 1 they will be suspended from work without pay.”
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According to the ombudsman for the protection of the rights of entrepreneurs in the field of transport, Nikita Muzyri, the dismissal of even 5% of all employees of transport enterprises can lead to a transport collapse. “Transport enterprises have no staff reserves. There is a deficit, which is superimposed on the fact that some of the workers are now sick and are on sick leave, ”he says. Muzyrya believes that Liksutov’s order for vaccination is not within the competence of the Department of Transport and has no legal force if the requirement is not spelled out in the employment contract. “If dismissals or dismissals from work without maintenance begin, this will lead to big problems for the Department of Transport, since people will go to court and win cases, because this is a violation of the Constitution,” the expert warns. Ksenia Mikhaylichenko, a lawyer for the MKA Soldatkin, Zelenaya and Partners (SZP Law), agrees with him. “Because of refusal to vaccinate, no one can be fired, you can be suspended from work due to illness: sent to sick leave with payment, but not because of refusal to get vaccinated,” she says.
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Dmitry Purim, head of the Moscow regional branch of the Growth Party, chairman of the board of Sovfrakht PJSC, believes that the Moscow authorities will not allow interruptions in transport. “But against the background of a shortage of labor resources, which could have been replenished from abroad in a different situation, the authorities will have to change their tone and carry out more subtle work with people, explaining their actions in a more intelligible way than orders with numbers,” the expert sums up.
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For the sake of completeness, it should be added that on September 14, 2020, the Russian Ministry of Health issued Order No. 967n amending the order “On Approving the National Calendar of Preventive Vaccinations and the Calendar of Preventive Vaccinations for Epidemic Indications” (available in the edition). According to the document, service providers, rotational workers, employees of social service organizations and multifunctional centers, pregnant women, law enforcement officers and representatives of other professions have been added to the national vaccination calendar.
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