NEW DELHI: The second wave of Covid-19 hit India hard. Perhaps there wasn’t a single family that was not affected — almost everyone was, in some way or the other. The hospitality industry being one of the most affected can only begin to recover once people feel safe. To that end The Oberoi Group undertook a vaccination drive and successfully vaccinated all eligible team members at the Group, including Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, Trident Hotels and Oberoi Flight Services.
It is no secret that the pandemic can begin to end only when the entire population is vaccinated. Ending of weekend curfews and opening up the hospitality industry and educational institutions all depends upon a population that is vaccinated. The hospitality major has ensured that everyone under its umbrella, be it all eligible employees of Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, Trident Hotels and Oberoi Flight Services or third-party contractual workers have received their vaccine.
“Vaccination would ensure that our staff remains safe and healthy. Additionally, it will give confidence to everyone who interacts with them as well as our guests,” says Sanjiv Kapoor, President, The Oberoi Group, adding that the safety, hygiene and well-being of both the employees and guests is of paramount importance as upon this depends on the revival of the hospitality business. While the Group has not made the vaccine a mandatory condition before re-joining work for its staff, it is nevertheless educating them on how getting vaccinated will save them from the severity of Covid-19, if at all they get infected.
“Vaccination will not only make the teams and guests safer, but it will also send across a positive message to society. We have involved our training managers and are sharing all vaccine-related facts with them,” says Kapoor, adding that even the governments, both at the centre and state, should allow those who are fully vaccinated to travel freely without testing or quarantine requirements. The Travel industry can start to recover only after this happens, Kapoor said.