JP Group adds its muscle to vaccination drive
PLAYING its part to strengthen Jamaica’s vaccination efforts, Jamaica Producers Group (JP), through its partnership with the Private Sector Vaccine Initiative (PSVI), successfully hosted its COVID-19 JP Vaccination Day last Thursday, September 30.
Held at its expansive 400-acre farm in Annotto Bay, St Mary, the initiative was extended to JP Farms’ team members in the parish, their families and residents of nearby communities.
The initiative saw more than 200 residents of St Mary getting doses of the Astrazeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, with approximately 50 per cent of the participants hailing from the JP Farms team.
Heartened by the enthusiasm from the participants, Maya Johnston, chief commercial officer at Jamaica Producers Group, noted that: “The reception has been tremendous. Despite the hesitancy by some of our citizenry, we have found that taking the time to educate, and increase access to information and the vaccines goes a long way in helping to increase the vaccine uptake.”
Johnston added, “Today is actually the final day in our vaccination month for JP. It was important for us as a company to ensure the protection of our staff, their families and, by extension, the community. We dedicated our efforts throughout the month to educating our staff as well as providing access to other sites for vaccination. The activities you see here are the culmination of that push”.
Recently, JP Farms initiated a vaccine awareness drive as part of the Group’s ‘Vax Month’ series of initiatives to dispel misinformation provide key facts about COVID-19 vaccines, which was targeted at more than 160 JP Farms team members.
Gayon Douglas, marketing executive at JP Farms, noted that the company-led awareness drive and efforts to increase vaccine access included doctor consultations, shuttle services to and from vaccination sites and general team engagement to encourage interest in the weeks leading up to ‘JP Vaccination Day’.
While commending JP’S efforts in the community, St Mary resident Cereta Henry declared that at first she was against the vaccine.
“But I decided to come here today because I’ve seen where COVID has taken the lives of friends and affected relatives. I started to realise that this is serious. It is not a hoax. So, I have to protect myself, my mom, brother and nieces who are in my household,” said Henry.
Member of Parliament for St Mary South Eastern Dr Norman Dunn, who was on the scene, noted that: “Jamaica Producers is one of the largest organisations that employ persons in the south-east St Mary region”.
Dunn added, “Today is a manifestation of their commitment to corporate social responsibility. It is a great initiative. I am very pleased to see that so many persons have come out to be vaccinated.”