WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Monday, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) released a statement from its president and CEO, Chip Rogers, on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recent update to prioritize “Traveler Accommodation” under the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Categories of Essential Workers.
“Thanks to AHLA’s ongoing efforts, the CDC has updated its guidelines prioritizing hotel workers under Phase 1c of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution,” Rogers said. “This is a significant achievement that directly impacts the health and safety of hotel workers across the country. It also recognizes that hotel employees continue to be on the front lines of the pandemic.
“From housing healthcare workers and first responders to now supporting the ongoing vaccine distribution, our industry is playing a vital role in supporting our communities as we battle this public health crisis. While hotels have protocols in place to ensure limited contact between employees and guests, prioritizing employees with access to the vaccine would provide another layer of protection,” Rogers continued.
In addition, Rogers said that AHLA, in partnership with UNITED HERE!, renewed its call in a letter to the National Governors Association advocating for inclusion of hotel workers in state vaccine distribution efforts.
“Travel and tourism are critical drivers of the American economy, and while travel demand has hit record lows, ensuring hotel employees are prioritized during the vaccine rollout will help keep both employees and guests safe when it becomes safe to travel and resume meetings and events once again,” Rogers concluded.
